ned to think that Gordon gave his support to their
opponents, may rest assured that no man contended more than he did for
that liberty which is the very essence of Christian teaching.

CHAPTER X

AS GOVERNOR OF THE EQUATORIAL PROVINCE

It has already been mentioned that when Colonel Gordon was at Galatz he
met Nubar Pasha. In September 1873 Nubar asked him to enter the service
of the Khedive of Egypt. While waiting to know whether the British
Government would sanction this step he wrote home as follows:--

"For some wise design God turns events one way or another, whether
man likes it or not, as a man driving a horse turns it to right or
left without consideration as to whether the horse likes that way
or not. To be happy, a man must be like a well-broken, willing
horse, ready for anything. Events will go as God likes. It is hard
to accept the position; the only solace is, it is not for long. If
I go to Egypt or not is uncertain; I hope He has given me the
strength not to care one way or the other; twenty years are soon
gone, and when over it will matter little whether I went or not."

The proposed step was sanctioned by the authorities, and so, at the age
of forty-one, Gordon became the governor of the immense Equatorial
Province. _En route_ to Egypt he writes from Paris: "I remember that
God has at all times worked by weak and small means. All history shows
this to be His mode, and so I believe if He will He may work by me."

Of course some little time had to be spent in Cairo; the Khedive Ismail
was anxious to make the acquaintance of his new governor, and certain
preliminaries had to be settled. Gordon had a suspicion that his
appointment was a sham, and that he would not have the power he needed
to suppress the slave trade. He was determined that _coute qui coute_
he would not be made a tool of to blind the European public, so at
the very outset he showed his colours, and let the Khedive clearly
understand that he was not a mere hireling anxious to secure a
well-paid billet. As for his pay, though his predecessor had received
L10,000 per annum, he decided to cut it down to L2000; for, as he said,
the whole would be wrung out of the unfortunate natives, who could ill
afford the high taxation to which they were subjected. Writing home at
this juncture, he said:--

"My object is to show the Khedive and his people that gold and
silver idols are not worshipped b