ri and
seized, you mention that the troops present in Bahr Gazelle and the
Equator and elsewhere number 30,000 soldiers whom you cannot leave
behind, even though you should die. And know that Bahr Gazelle and
the Equator are both of them under our power and both have followed us
as Madhi, and that they and their chiefs and all their officers are
now among the auxiliaries of the Madhi. And they have joined our
lieutenants in that part, and letters from them are constantly coming
and going without hinderence or diminution of numbers. . . . By this
thou wilt see and understand that it is not under thy command as thou
thinkest. And for thy better information and our compassion for thee
we have added this postscript.

(_Seal_.)

There is no God but Allah.
Mahomet is the prophet Allah.
Mahomet the Madhi, son of Abd Allah."

Year 1292.

Gordon's reply was just what we should expect from an officer of his
temperament and experience. It is true things looked anything but
cheering and our hero needed all his force of character and confidence in
the God of Israel. This he had and kept brightly burning. To the Madhi
he replied--

"Sheikh Mahomed Achmed has sent us a letter to inform us that Lupton
Bey, Mudir of 'Bahr Gazelle' has surrendered to him, and that the
small steamer in which was Stewart Pasha, has been captured by him,
together with what was therein. But to me it is all one whether
Lupton Bey has surrendered or has not surrendered. And whether he has
captured twenty thousand steamers like the 'Abbas' or twenty thousand
officers like Stuart Pasha or not; it is all one to me. I am here
like iron, and hope to see the newly arrived English; and if Mahomed
Achmed says that the English die, it is all the same to me. And you
must take a copy of this and give it to the messenger from Slatin, and
send him out early in the morning, that he may go to him. It is
impossible for me to have any more words with Mahomed Achmed, only
lead; and if Mahomed Achmed is willing to fight he had better, instead
of going to Omdurman, go to the white hill by the moat."

(Signed) C. G. GORDON.

Gordon, though borne up by a sense of the Divine presence, yet he
occasionally at least, felt as if he was leading a forlorn hope. We know
not, nor can we ever know all the deeds of heroism he did for that down
trodden people.

"A life long