In Desert and Wilderness

Staś Tarkowski and Nell Rawlison grow up in Port Said under their fathers, who oversee the Suez Canal. Their peaceful life is upended as the Mahdist War begins in Sudan. This looming conflict sets the stage for the perilous journey to come.

A group of Arabs abducts Staś and Nell, hoping to exchange them for Fatma Smain, Mahdi's relative. The children are forced to travel across the desert toward Khartoum as hostages. Staś shields Nell from cruelties, enduring beatings to keep her safe.

The captives endure a brutal trek across the Sahara toward Khartoum, facing heat, thirst, and exhaustion. Staś risks his own life to protect Nell from the cruelty around them. Their hope dwindles as the distance and dangers grow.

The caravan reaches Khartoum, but the Mahdi is preoccupied with his revolt and ignores the Arabs' offer to present the children. The Arabs leave disappointed and angry, while Staś and Nell remain in a country torn by conflict. The children's fate now rests on uncertain political whims.

Staś is summoned to meet the Mahdi and refuses to convert to Islam. A European captive, a Greek, rebukes him, saying that forced conversion cannot save Nell and that God sees what is inside his heart. Staś's resolve strengthens amid the mounting danger.

The group endures life in war-torn Omdurman, suffering from heat, thirst, and disease. Nell grows weaker, while Staś remains steadfast to protect her. The harsh environment becomes another adversary they must survive.

Nell's servant Dinah contracts illness in the Sudanese forests and dies on the march toward Fashoda. The loss compounds the children's hardships as they press on with dwindling resources. Staś's leadership and Nell's resilience keep them moving despite grief.

The group is attacked by a lion in the African wild; Staś uses his weapon to kill the beast and then shoots the Arabs who threaten the children. The immediate danger is quelled, but the act exposes the depth of Staś's grim resolve. Their survival depends on his quick, fearless actions.

Free of their captors, Staś and Nell are joined by two freed slaves, Kali and Mea, who accompany them on the perilous journey. The small group remains tightly bonded as they traverse deserts and jungles. Their shared hope for rescue sustains them through endless danger.

Nell falls ill with malaria, and Staś locates a remote camp where the elderly Swiss explorer Linde provides quinine, food, and weapons. Nell begins to recover under his care, but Linde dies days later and many of his African servants perish. Staś's resourcefulness becomes crucial for their continuing trek.

On Mount Linde, Nell regains full strength and Staś baptizes Kali, Mea, and Nasibu, converting them to Christianity. The children begin making kites to signal their whereabouts to potential rescuers. This period marks a shift from mere survival to planning a hopeful future.

The group travels through Wa-Hima villages, where Staś and Nell are regarded as Good Mzimu for their bravery. Kali's birthright as prince elevates their standing among the locals, aiding their mission's progress. They experience hospitality and support from the tribe and neighboring communities.

Kali's village faces a Samburu attack, and Staś and Nell help defend the fort with Kali's tribe. The conflict ends with a hard-won victory, but they choose to unite rather than annihilate the rival group. The alliance strengthens their push toward safety and a possible rescue.

With a caravan of about 100 tribespeople, the expedition moves east toward uncharted lands, hoping for rescue by explorers or the British. Two witch doctors, M'Kunje and M'Pua, steal food and water and perish while attempting to flee. After days without water, two British officers locate the signal kites and rescue Staś, Nell, and Saba, reuniting them with their fathers and sending Nell back to England.

Ten years after their escape, Staś graduates from university in Switzerland and marries Nell. George Rawlinson dies, and the couple reflects on their journey, now aware that the Mahdi has been defeated. Kali’s tribe continues Christianization, and the family eventually returns to Poland to live with Staś's father.