that instead of his camp
being attacked, it would be Khartoum, where Gordon had for so long held
out against overwhelming odds. Thus the valuable hours of the 21st,
22nd, and 23rd glided away, all too rapidly.

Even when Wilson's force was ready to start, Lord Charles Beresford was
not able to accompany it, and Sir Charles had to go without him. The
distance to Khartoum was about 100 miles, but it was not until January
28th that the steamers got clear of the Sixth Cataract, which was about
half-way between Gubat and Khartoum. For about a dozen miles large
boulders and rocks caused delay and danger. No sooner had the steamers
got clear of these obstacles than all eyes were strained to catch sight
of the Egyptian flag floating over Khartoum. The steamers made rapid
progress in the open water, and as the distance was reduced, the square
roof of the palace where Gordon had resided came into view. But there
was no Egyptian flag flying from it, and the reception accorded to the
relieving force, although a warm one, was not such as Gordon would have
given. His eyes had often been strained looking to the quarter whence
he thought his grateful countrymen would surely send aid, but he had
looked in vain. Now, when the tardy help was at hand, it received no
welcome from him, for just two days before, on January 26th, he had
yielded up his heroic spirit. From every side the Mahdists poured shot
and shell upon Sir Charles Wilson and his little band; and it was
matter for grateful surprise that they escaped the fate of him whom,
too late, they had come to rescue. They approached within eight hundred
yards of the city, and then, convinced that it had fallen, retreated to
a safer position, from which they could institute inquiries as to the
fate of the gallant hero, hoping, yet hardly daring to hope, that his
life might have been spared.

It is not necessary to follow further in detail the history of Sir
Charles Wilson's party, the narrow escape they had from being
treacherously run on to a rock, and the way in which they were
gallantly rescued by Lord Charles Beresford, who by February 1st was
sufficiently recovered to enable him to take command of another of
Gordon's steamers, and relieve the would-be relievers. There followed
at least six days of suspense, as the accounts brought in by natives
were very conflicting, but by the 11th of February it was known in
England that a consensus of evidence pointed to the fact that the noble