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The Dash for Khartoum: A Tale of the Nile Expeditions
Khartoum is the capital of Sudan. It is located at the point where the White Nile meets the Blue Nile. This area is known as The Mogran. From here the Nile flows to the Mediterranean Sea. Muhammad Ali, the ruler of Egypt, founded the city in 1821. It quickly left the status of outpost becoming the center of trade and especially the slave trade. When the city was besieged by troops loyal to the Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad in 1884, the British defenders were led by General Gordon. Henty used his cast knowledge of this area in writing this story in which two boys accompany the expedition to rescue General Gordon from the besieged city.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1892
About the author
G.A. Henty
1,199 books388 followersGeorge Alfred Henty, better known as G.A. Henty, began his storytelling career with his own children. After dinner, he would spend and hour or two in telling them a story that would continue the next day. Some stories took weeks! A friend was present one day and watched the spell-bound reaction of his children suggesting Henty write down his stories so others could enjoy them. He did. Henty wrote approximately 144 books in addition to stories for magazines and was known as "The Prince of Story-Tellers" and "The Boy's Own Historian." One of Mr. Henty's secretaries reported that he would quickly pace back and forth in his study dictating stories as fast as the secretary could record them.
Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.
Henty's stories revolve around fictional boy heroes during fascinating periods of history. His heroes are diligent, intelligent, and dedicated to their country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril... Henty's heroes fight wars, sail the seas, discover land, conquer evil empires, prospect for gold, and a host of other exciting adventures. Along the way, they meet famous personages... In short, Henty's heroes live through tumultuous historic eras meeting leaders of that time. Understanding the culture of the time period becomes second nature as well as comparing/contrasting the society of various cultures.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 24, 2012
The author circa 1890sRead online: http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/worl...
Title: The Dash for Khartoum
A Tale of Nile Expedition
Author: George Alfred Henty
Illustrator: Joseph Nash
John Schönberg
Opening: In a room in the married non-commissioned officers' quarters in the cantonments at Agra, a young woman was sitting looking thoughtfully at two infants, who lay sleeping together on the outside of a bed with a shawl thrown lightly over them. Jane Humphreys had been married about a year. She was the daughter of the regimental sergeant-major, and had been a spoilt child. She was good looking, and had, so the wives and daughters of the other non-commissioned officers said, laid herself out to catch one of the young officers of the regiment, and was bitterly disappointed at the failure of her efforts.
July 21, 2019
Starts with a really unique premise of babies getting mixed up. At about 30% it becomes more regular warlike Henty as the brothers join the war heading for Khartoum (in present-day Sudan). Normally Henty doesn’t show a ton of prejudice, but in this book he thinks of the natives with great disdain, despite their bravery in battle, and looks on them as next to imbecilic. While I really enjoyed the brothers’ story, the repeated unlikely occurrences and the continual references to the native n*s, I couldn’t rate this as a new favorite.
May 21, 2022
An unbelievable adventure of intrigue, excitement, and folly. From start to finish a great read!
As always an exciting, never at all low in adventure from my perspective. An intriguing story of families members torn apart from a heartfelt lie, for financial reward. The adventure begins in old England, then to the Nile. A very troubled part of history with adventure !
As always an exciting, never at all low in adventure from my perspective. An intriguing story of families members torn apart from a heartfelt lie, for financial reward. The adventure begins in old England, then to the Nile. A very troubled part of history with adventure !
October 15, 2024
GA Henty was the standard mid-Victorian adventure writer, targeting a readership of schoolboys between the ages of 9 and 12. His books have in them a basis of historical fact, and usually feature one or more famous hero or pair of equally matched adversaries. In his colonial novels, Henty's adventures describe actual battles and locations with much detail. All are filled with gallant youths as heroes, and inspired boys to fight and die for Queen and country, rather than dream of being a highwayman or a pirate chieftain.
These boys were usually destined to be enlisted men, commissioned officers or civilian administrators in the East India Company, later officers of the British government. All of them expected to be serving abroad, and Henty’s books were aimed at upholding the ideals deemed most important to men required to defend the Empire from the savages in India or Africa.
In ‘Dash to Khartoum,’ we are in for a slight disappointment, as the book deals only elliptically with General Gordon’s trials and murder. It is an unlikely tale of a mix-up of two infants by an unscrupulous wet-nurse, who seems an expert manipulator as well. One boy runs away from home and enlists. The other, all unknowing, gets an officer's commission into the same regiment. Sooner or later, both ‘brothers’ find each other in the desert. Well-written, with a knowledge of the country and tribal and religious struggles of Northern Africa, the book might be recommended to young readers today, except for the disdain and even dislike Henty cannot conceal for his non-white characters.
These boys were usually destined to be enlisted men, commissioned officers or civilian administrators in the East India Company, later officers of the British government. All of them expected to be serving abroad, and Henty’s books were aimed at upholding the ideals deemed most important to men required to defend the Empire from the savages in India or Africa.
In ‘Dash to Khartoum,’ we are in for a slight disappointment, as the book deals only elliptically with General Gordon’s trials and murder. It is an unlikely tale of a mix-up of two infants by an unscrupulous wet-nurse, who seems an expert manipulator as well. One boy runs away from home and enlists. The other, all unknowing, gets an officer's commission into the same regiment. Sooner or later, both ‘brothers’ find each other in the desert. Well-written, with a knowledge of the country and tribal and religious struggles of Northern Africa, the book might be recommended to young readers today, except for the disdain and even dislike Henty cannot conceal for his non-white characters.
April 11, 2026
I've been on a GA Henty spree recently and can't stop reading them! Spoilers ahead.
This one has a slightly different setting. And this part really shows the British class system that was in place in the late 1800's. The wife of a NCO, while babysitting/nursing the son of a well to do officer (Clinton), decides to switch places with her son so he could grow up with the benefits of a rich family. Unfortunately, the babies look so much alike that she couldn't tell them apart after the switch. Clinton decides to take both of them and rear them both as his own sons.
Fast forward to their teenage years when they are both plucky kids in middle school. The NCO wife shows up at the school and randomly chooses one of them (Edgar) telling him the story and lying to him that he is her real son (despite her not knowing either). Of course he is heartbroken and feels that he shouldn't be there. So he runs away and joins the army as a trumpeter.
Also of course he's a plucky lad, good at cricket, saves a couple of officers' wives from ruffians and is generally well liked. He transfers to the cavalry and is sent off to Egypt where he joins the camel corps. The meat of the book then follows the British expedition, which is history for the kids reading the books. Edgar reunites with his brother and everything ends well.
There was a lot of interesting historical stuff in there especially from the POV of a soldier on the British side. Think of it as a time capsule book. I had downloaded a bunch of Henty books a few years ago and didn't really like them but I started reading them again this year with a new perspective and have come to enjoy them a lot as a time traveler.
This one has a slightly different setting. And this part really shows the British class system that was in place in the late 1800's. The wife of a NCO, while babysitting/nursing the son of a well to do officer (Clinton), decides to switch places with her son so he could grow up with the benefits of a rich family. Unfortunately, the babies look so much alike that she couldn't tell them apart after the switch. Clinton decides to take both of them and rear them both as his own sons.
Fast forward to their teenage years when they are both plucky kids in middle school. The NCO wife shows up at the school and randomly chooses one of them (Edgar) telling him the story and lying to him that he is her real son (despite her not knowing either). Of course he is heartbroken and feels that he shouldn't be there. So he runs away and joins the army as a trumpeter.
Also of course he's a plucky lad, good at cricket, saves a couple of officers' wives from ruffians and is generally well liked. He transfers to the cavalry and is sent off to Egypt where he joins the camel corps. The meat of the book then follows the British expedition, which is history for the kids reading the books. Edgar reunites with his brother and everything ends well.
There was a lot of interesting historical stuff in there especially from the POV of a soldier on the British side. Think of it as a time capsule book. I had downloaded a bunch of Henty books a few years ago and didn't really like them but I started reading them again this year with a new perspective and have come to enjoy them a lot as a time traveler.
September 11, 2020
4.5 stars & 5/10 hearts. Another Henty book that I love! I love Edgar, and Rupert, and Easton, and I enjoy every appearance of Skinner—especially when Easton is around. xD There were mentions of drinking & smoking, also a claim that Allah is God—the same God that Englishmen worshipped. This story was very humorous, as well as exciting. I recommend reading all of Henty’s books that deal with the Anglo-Egyptian struggles to get a good view of the long fighting and the various armies and generals and happenings.
A Favourite Quote: “In most cases, cowardice lies at the bottom of concealment, and cowardice is of all vices the most contemptible; while the fear of the displeasure of a parent has ruined many a boy's life.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Have you managed to get up football on board ship, Skinner?’ Easton, who was stretched at full length on the ground, asked lazily.
“‘Not yet,’ Skinner laughed. ‘If we played at all we should have to use a cannon-ball, so that it should not be kicked over the sides; but then, unless we got iron shoes made for the purpose, we should all be laid up.’”
A Favourite Quote: “In most cases, cowardice lies at the bottom of concealment, and cowardice is of all vices the most contemptible; while the fear of the displeasure of a parent has ruined many a boy's life.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “‘Have you managed to get up football on board ship, Skinner?’ Easton, who was stretched at full length on the ground, asked lazily.
“‘Not yet,’ Skinner laughed. ‘If we played at all we should have to use a cannon-ball, so that it should not be kicked over the sides; but then, unless we got iron shoes made for the purpose, we should all be laid up.’”
June 1, 2026
a very interesting historical novel. don't know much about the author except from the cover blurb, which stated he was a war correspondent.
interesting premise, which plays out over the course of the book. i admit to skimming a bit, reading the first sentence of a paragraph and going on the next paragraph. doubt i missed much,
regardless, some interesting insights into the british military, life in public (?) schools, and much more.
i plan to get other books by the author from Project Gutenberg.
interesting premise, which plays out over the course of the book. i admit to skimming a bit, reading the first sentence of a paragraph and going on the next paragraph. doubt i missed much,
regardless, some interesting insights into the british military, life in public (?) schools, and much more.
i plan to get other books by the author from Project Gutenberg.
November 19, 2021
Henty was a prolific (to say the least!) author of Victorian adventure stories for boys, often based on historical events. To read them today, you have to be prepared for stilted dialogue, potentially confusing references to cricket, and a fair amount of political incorrectness.
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May 19, 2026رواية "الاندفاع نحو الخرطوم: حكاية من رحلة النيل الاستكشافية" للكاتب جي. إيه. هينتي، هي رواية تاريخية كُتبت في أواخر القرن التاسع عشر. تدور أحداث الرواية حول سرد درامي خيالي لرحلة النيل الاستكشافية، مع التركيز بشكل أساسي على حياة صبيين متشابكة - روبرت وإدغار كلينتون - نشآ كأخوين، لكنهما وقعا ضحية خطأ غامض يتعلق بهويتهما الحقيقية. تستكشف هذه الرواية مواضيع الولاء والصداقة والآثار الأخلاقية للأسرار، حيث يُزجّ بالصبيين في عالمٍ تُهدد فيه تراثهما ومستقبلهما. في بداية الرواية، نتعرف على جين همفريز، التي تُفكّر في الصعوبات التي واجهتها في تربية طفلين - ابنها وابن الكابتن كلينتون الذي لا يُمكن تمييزه عنها - بعد خطأ مصيري. بعد وفاة والد جين المفاجئة، قبلت في البداية عرض الزواج من الرقيب همفريز في لحظة يأس. مع تزايد الحيرة بشأن الهويات الحقيقية للأطفال، تتكشف القصة مع صراع جين بين مسؤولياتها كأم ورغبتها في الثروة والمكانة الاجتماعية، مما يمهد الطريق لدراسة معمقة لديناميكيات الأسرة، والاضطرابات العاطفية، وتأثير التنشئة على هوية الفرد. يُرسي المشهد الافتتاحي سياقًا ثريًا للصراعات الاجتماعية والأسرية التي تُحرك الأحداث اللاحقة في هذه الحكاية المشوقة.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/egczy7...
https://www.mediafire.com/file/egczy7...
March 21, 2008
Another of Henty's historical novels in which the juvenile hero grows to maturity, faces adversity, encounters real-life heroes (in this case Gen. Kitchener), and in the end wins renown - and the girl.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews