Count Henri deVries, a wealthy explorer.
Serena, a noblewoman of the Tuareg; married to Count Henri deVries; sister of El Hadj Akhmed.
Jules deVries, a colonel in the Imperial Guard; brother of Count Henri deVries.
Elisabeth deVries, wife of Jules deVries.
Moussa Michel Kella deVries, son of Count Henri deVries and Serena.
Paul deVries, cousin of Moussa deVries.
Mahdi, son of El Hadj Akhmed; nephew of Serena; cousin of Moussa.
Daia, a young woman of the Tuareg.
Delescluze, officer of the guerilla Francs-tireurs.
Gascon Villiers, retainer of Count Henri deVries.
Sister Godrick, teacher of Moussa and Paul deVries at St. Paul’s.
Marius Murat, the bishop of Boulogne-Billancourt.
Abdulahi, prisoner of Jubar Pasha; friend to Moussa deVries.
Ahitagel, amenokal of the Tuareg at the time of the Flatters expedition.
Attici, Tuareg nobleman, in line to be amenokal.
Lieutenant Colonel Paul Flatters, leader of the French railroad survey expedition.
El Hadj Akhmed (Abba), the amenokal of the Tuareg.
El Hussein, ambassador to the sultan of Morocco; brother-in-law of Jubar Pasha
Hakeem, aide to Paul deVries.
Jubar Pasha, ruler of Timimoun.
Lufti, slave of Moussa deVries; husband of Chaddy.
Melika, nurse at the mission of the White Fathers.
Tamrit, suitor of Serena; organizer of the Senussi.