The Players' background and briefings
After the interesting cruise down the Nile the party looked
forward to a well-earned rest in Cairo. However,
their fame reached Cairo ahead of them and they spent a lot of time at
receptions, balls and other social functions. Despite, and maybe because of, the social whirl they
gradually recovered from their wounds. Binky,
Adrian and Gerald all received the Khedive’s Star (Third Class) and a gratuity
of £200, as did the other Europeans according to their achievement and status.
The natives all received a gratuity of £25 or a grant of land and cattle
according to choice.
A number of scholars were interested in the finds that they
had made. In particular the Book
caused quite a stir. No one had any
idea how to open it without destroying the clasp.
Indeed, careful examination revealed that there did not seem to be any
hinges, spine or lock. The academic
opinion was that the volume was not the fabled Book of Souls but another,
equally fabled volume entitled “The Book of Days” or some others claimed it
was not Egyptian at all and that it was from some other earlier civilisation and
had an Egyptian covering added at a later date. They pointed out that what appeared to be the inner sheets
were of a different gold to the cover and that the whole thing was not in the
Egyptian style at all. When the
question was debated they had no explanation of what it might be or of the
civilisation that might have created it. The
debates continue and the book resides in the Cairo Museum vaults.
The other item that caused a stir was the dig record of the German expedition that had been financed by an anonymous Ruritanian aristocrat. It catalogued a large number of items. Most of these were quite ordinary and what might be expected. However, there were a number that were previously unknown and they were described as such in the catalogue. The Egyptian Museum tried to persuade the Binky the “Hero of Darfur” to take an expedition back to the site to recover the items. He politely declined.
The ladies, Cynthia and Meg, were away from the Hotel addressing the “Ladies Egyptian Antiquities Society” at the Cairo Museum one afternoon when a messenger handed Binky a note.
Dear
Sir,
There
has been an unfortunate affair at the Cairo Museum. I would be grateful if you would attend for the game is
afoot.
The Inspector of police, Cyril Golightly, hinted that a
group of Arabs and Europeans in Arab dress had been seen lugging boxes in and
out of the Museum just before the alarm was raised. Investigations at the scene indicated that Europeans were
involved, as one “Arab” had cursed in a language that was not Arabic.
After two frustrating days of investigations, Cyril
disturbed breakfast to declare that an Arab had been caught selling one of the
stolen items. After persuasion he
had said that a group had been hired to deliver items for an exhibition to the
museum and bring out other items. They
had been very well paid but he had lifted a small item from the museum.
It was the winged statuette that Gerald had found.
He had hidden it to sell for profit.
His tale was that they had taken the boxed items to the Museum.
Then the European with the funny English had met four women and talked
with them. Suddenly all the
gaslights had gone out and there was a commotion as everyone blundered about
bashing into things. Eventually the
lights were lit and two of the ladies had fainted.
They loaded their boxes onto the carts – four of them were quite large
and heavy – one needed four men to lift.
They took the crates to the railway station and put them on a train for
Suez.
The Statuette was returned to Gerald.
It was, surprisingly, quite undamaged.
The Inspector said that a party of Europeans had departed
on a steamer bound through the Red Sea by way of Suakin. The Royal Navy had a fast despatch vessel due into Suez that
evening with orders for the Suakin garrison.
The Captain has been ordered to wait but time was short.
A fast steamer would probably catch up with them.
Binky, of course, took the hint and decided to set off in pursuit.
Carrying only what they, themselves, could pack and carry the stalwarts
and their faithful askaris set off for Suez.
Binky was even heard to issue a curse – so they say!
But this is most unlikely, indeed!
Unfortunately the despatch vessel’s engines were not up
to the heroic struggle of racing down the Red Sea and broke down.
The repairs took a day and a half. And
so it was that they all arrived in the fly infested, hot and dirty garrison town
of Suakin.
The garrison of Suakin was made up of a most unlikely lot
of Imperial troops and volunteers. Walking
down from the steamer Adrian spotted Australian cavalrymen, Indian pioneers,
Sikh infantry a few Bengal Lancers and several British regulars.
In addition there was a very smartly turned out Egyptian infantry
regiment. The whole place was alive
with commissaries, lascars, and coolies of every conceivable race – Chinese,
Indian, Arab, Persian, African, Sudanese and others.
After installing themselves in the Imperial Hotel Binky,
Gerald and Adrian paid a call upon the garrison commander.
He was a genial, tubby fellow who had served with Binky’s father in
India. He provided the information
that a party of Germans had indeed come out of the desert a week or so ago.
And, yes, they had met another party of Europeans and an American from a
steamer. This second lot had a
number of Egyptian items in crates with them, some of which were so valuable
that they would not let them out of their sight.
What was strange, really, was that the harbour master, a German in
Turkish service, had commented at dinner one evening that they were the
strangest Germans he had ever met. Their
German was good but they all had a rather odd accent that he could not place. Anyway, they had stayed only one night and then taken passage
on a steamer. The steamer was seen
heading south to Morvalistan. They
had ignored the advice that Arab pirates were taking advantage of Mahdist
successes and the diversion of regular forces to become more active.
Indeed, the worst of all was the rumour that a renegade
American slave trader converted to Islam, Mustapha Ginnis, had seized the
steamer. He was reputed to have
been active in the Sudan for the past three years and had just run three convoys
of slaves to Yemen and back. He has
also been active in the Snikkabar and Marzibar areas. His base is a walled palace and harbour called Zomm el Ohle
that belongs to the Sultan Ranschid Gotes Milak.
The Egyptian Representative Michail Mouze-Trapp Pasha has
been given permission to use a small force to tackle his base.
The force, so far comprised two Egyptian companies, a small naval
detachment, some British regulars and some Sikhs.
No officers of suitable experience were available and he pressed Binky
and Adrian to accept commissions in the Egyptian Army for this expedition. As
they were discussing the proposal the news arrived that the steamer was
definitely in Zomm el Ohle, the slaver’s base.
Binky, Adrian and Gerald decided upon a swift night raid to rescue the captives and the book. This would be followed by a dawn attack by the main force. After looking at the maps a land approach was decided upon with a diversion from the sea at dawn.
Binky’s Briefing.
The Pirates and slavers are estimated to have about 40
armed men and two to four dhows.
At least one of these may be armed with cannon.
The Sultan has a trained and loyal his personal guard of about 20
“Zouaves” armed with modern rifles and led by European mercenaries.
Your information is that the fortress walls are in
disrepair. The Sultan’s palace is
in a secure quarter of the walled town.
I the palace are the harem, audience chambers and Royal apartments.
Nearby are the servants quarters, stores, barracks and other buildings.
The town includes a small harbour defended by a boom.
Around the harbour are a
chandler, merchants an entertainment hostel and such like.
You have received a message smuggled out by the
apothecary’s assistant from the Egyptians that sheltered you. They say that they are being held in the slave quarters
there. They beg for rescue before
they are shipped to the Yemen, Marzibar or Snikkabar. Their smuggled message says that they are all together
in a barrackoon between the harbour and the barracks.
The main raiding force is to destroy the dhows, capture
Mustapha Ginnis and destroy as much of the town and harbour as possible.
The Protected Cruiser HMS Venus will provide supporting gunfire.
The apothecary is an agent of the Affable Morvalistan
Trading Company.
Your objective is to rescue the captives and free any slaves before the dawn attack.
Adrian’s Briefing
You have information that the Sultan protecting the
renegade Mustapha Ginnis has a small army of some “regular” Zouaves – more
likely slave soldiers, some artillery and some Beluchi mercenaries.
In total probably not more than 40 or 50 men.
The Beluchis are usually quartered outside the town at night.
The walls are patrolled and the sea gate has its boom raised at
nightfall.
European mercenaries lead the Zouaves – mostly the
mercenaries are ex-senior NCO’s adventurers or officers.
The soldiers are armed with breech loading rifles.
There may be an old cannon or two near the palace.
The level of training is said to be mainly ceremonial. They wear a red
uniform.
The Beluchis are led by their own leaders.
They are undisciplined but good fighters.
They wear tribal dress but are easily distinguished from the Arabs by
their round black shields. They are
armed with a variety of weapons including their favourite matchlock muskets.
Most of the pirates are likely to be ashore somewhere.
The most likely places are the entertainment and coffee halls.
The officers may be in the palace. The
Zouaves are entrusted with the security of the palace and harem area and the
Beluchis the walls and gun batteries.
You have decided to carry a Union Flag to mark your
position – just in case you cannot get out before bombardment starts.
If you can you mean to lower the boom so that the attack force can enter
the harbour area.
Your main objectives are to rescue the captives and destroy the boom in its lowered position.
Gerald’s briefing
The information that the Book is within reach again excites
you. The only information you have
is that it was in the possession of the “Germans”. Your mind is full of questions and almost no answers.
Is the Book still on the steamer?
Has it been taken to the palace?
Where in the palace?
Where are the kidnapped ladies?
Why were they taken?
Was it to force you to follow?
So is this a trap?
The town is really a fort, in disrepair it must be said,
but a fort with a garrison and artillery. There
are supposed to be pirates there too! A hostage rescue, a treasure search and a battle mission all
in one night!
There are likely to be at least four cases or boxes, one of
which is very heavy. There were no
heavy items in the items reported stolen. It
may be that something was not recorded (officially) and has been stolen.
Why did the curator hang himself?
Binky is determined to find the ladies and release slaves.
Adrian’s honour demands the recovery of the hostages and the lowering of the boom.
You want to rescue the ladies and recover the stolen artefacts - or at least the Book.