HAYNES (Capt. Alfred, R.E.).
Man-Hunting in the Desert,
“On the commencement of the Egyptian Campaign of 1882, Professor E.H. Palmer a distinguished oriental scholar (well known in Arabia as the Sheik Abdullah) Capt. Wm.J. Gill, R.E. & Lieutenant H. Charrington, R.N., were despatched into the Arabian desert and there treachorously waylaid and murdered - No tidings of the above unfortunate gentleman being received for some time after their departure, the British Government despatched a search expedition consisting of three officers of the Royal Engineers, viz. Col C. Warren, Lieut E.M. Burton and Lieut. A.E. Haynes;… having collected the remains of the murdered men which were discovered in the desert - the second party next directed their attention to discovering the perpetrators of the crime & to bringing them to justice - After months of arduous travel to and fro in the Desert & many privations and perilous adventures, this latter object was also accomplished and the principal criminals were arrested, tried at Gantah, and convicted, five of them being hung.”
Palmer was betrayed “under the mask of friendship” robbed of the £3000 in gold he carried and murdered with his entire entourage. Under the guise of a scientific mission their secret object was to cut telegraph lines. *Not in Macro.*The Arabist Palmer, in company with the explorer Gill and naval officer Charrington were murdered in the “stony desert” while on a secret mission to cut telegraph lines to Syria. The relief party was lead by Colonel Warren, and the account of their expedition is fascinating.
