which the town held out after December 14, 15,000 townspeople were sent
over to the Mahdi's camp, and only 14,000 civilians and soldiers were
left in the doomed city. Omdurman fell, and the Mahdi's troops pressed
every day more closely on all sides. Actual starvation began, and rats
and mice, hides and leather were eaten, and palms stripped to obtain the
soft fibres inside. But the White Pasha rejected all proposals to
surrender.

Meanwhile the relief columns struggled southwards and on January 20,
1885, reached Metemma, only a hundred miles from Khartum. There they
fell in with Gordon's boats, which had lain waiting in vain for four
months, and four days later two of the boats started for Khartum.

Halfway they had to pass up the sixth cataract, there losing two days
more, and not till the 28th had they left the rapids behind them. The
noonday sun was shining brightly when the English soldiers and their
officers saw Khartum straight in front of them on the point between the
White and Blue Niles. All glasses were turned on the tall palace; every
one was in the greatest excitement and dared hardly breathe, much less
speak. There stood Gordon's palace, but no flag waved from the roof.

The boats go on, but no shouts of gladness greet their crews as
long-looked-for rescuers. When they are within range the dervishes open
fire, and wild troops intoxicated with victory gather on the bank.
Khartum is in the hands of the Mahdi, and help has come 48 hours too
late.

Two days before, January 26, the dervishes, furious at their continual
losses and the obstinate resistance of the town, had flocked together
for a final assault. The attack was made during the darkest hour of the
night, after the moon had set. The defenders were worn out and rendered
indifferent by the pangs of hunger. The dervishes rushed into the town,
filling the streets and lanes with their savage howling. It was then
that Gordon gathered together his twenty remaining faithful soldiers and
servants, and dashed sword in hand out of the palace. It was growing
light in the east, and the outlines of bushes and thickets on the Blue
Nile were becoming clear. The small party took their way across an open
square to the Austrian Mission church, which had previously been put in
order for a last refuge. On the way they were met by a crowd of
dervishes and were killed to the last man. Foremost among the slain was
Gordon.

THE CONQUEST OF THE SUDAN

The Mahdi did not