Arabic Rolling Block Rifle

[colin henshaw]

Originally Posted by trenchwarfare

Thanks guys. Excellent information. This rifle gets more interesting by the day. That first image is very powerful, Colin. Looks like the guy on the left, threw his arm out, on that last chop. Occupational hazard I guess. I'm starting to wonder, about the rawhide repair. On close examination, there are no visible hair follicles. I had thought animal leg. But maybe, human wrist?

The author of the book "Fire and Sword in the Sudan", was Rudolph Slatin, the Austrian Governor of Darfur, until his surrender to Mahdist forces in 1883. He was a captive until his escape in 1895, and an eyewitness of the Mahdist regime.

The first illustration shows the execution of members of the Batahin tribe, who had refused to carry out the Khalifa's orders. Seemingly execution in the Mahdist period was by hanging or decapitation rather than firing-squad.

The book is certainly an excellent read for anyone interested in the historical Sudan.