ica. On March 11 Arab war parties
appeared on the bank of the Blue Nile, for the Mahdi was drawing his net
ever closer round the unfortunate town.

During the preceding years the Egyptian Government had caused Khartum to
be fortified after a fashion, and during the earlier months of the siege
Gordon worked day and night to strengthen the defences. His soldiers
threw up earthern ramparts round the town, a network of wire
entanglements was set up, and mines were laid at places where an assault
might be expected. At the end of April the town was entirely blockaded,
and only the river route to the north was still open. At the beginning
of May the Arabs crossed the Blue Nile, suffering great losses from
exploding mines and the guns of the town. In the early part of September
there were still provisions for three months, and the Arabs, perceiving
that they could not take the town by storm from the White Pasha,
resolved to starve it out.

The Nile was now at its highest, and huge grey turbid volumes of water
hurried northwards. Now was the only chance for a small steamer to try
to get to Dongola, where it would be in safety. On the night of
September 9 a small steamer was made ready for starting, and Gordon's
only English comrades, Colonel Stewart and Mr. Power, went on board,
together with the French Consul, a number of Greeks, and fifty soldiers.
They took with them accounts of the siege, correspondence, lists and
details about provisions, ammunition, arms, men, and plans of defence,
and everything else of particular value. Silently the steamer moved off
from the bank, and when day dawned Gordon was alone. Alas, the little
steamer never reached Dongola, for it was wrecked immediately below Abu
Hamed. Every soul on board was murdered, and all papers of value fell
into the hands of the Mahdi. On the other hand, Gordon's diary from
September 10 to December 14, 1884, is still extant, and is wonderful
reading.

By this time the British Government had at last decided to send an
expedition to relieve Khartum. River boats were built in great numbers,
troops were equipped for the field, the famous general, Lord Wolseley,
was in command, and by the middle of September the first infantry
battalion was up at Dongola on the northern half of the great S of the
Nile. But then the steamers had only just arrived at Alexandria, and had
to be taken up the Nile and tediously dragged through the cataracts,
while the desert column which was to