CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. victory.— A letter from an adherent of the Mahdi circulates ire Khartoum.— Expeditionary force organised against the Mahdi at El Obeid.— Hicks Pasha"sets out at the head of his combined.

forces.— Is beset by spies along the whole of his route.— Gloomy forebodings on the part of those belonging to the expedition.— Last letters ofMajor Seckendorff, Mr. Evans,andMr.O'Donovam — Final telegram from General Hicks.— After long silence rumours of a victory reach Khartoum, followed by stories of an appalling disaster.— The armyledinto an ambush by treacherous guides.— A complete massacre ensues.— Death of Hicks Pasha.— The lives- of some of the prisoners believed to be spared.— Triumphal entry of the Mahdi into El Obeid.— Retreat of Egyptian garrisons.— The entire Soudan in arms.— Osman Digna attacks Sinkat.— His antecedents.— Defeat of anexpedition for the relief of Tokar. — Death of Consul Moncrieff St.

CHAPTER VTII. New expedition against the rebels organised under Baker Pasha.—

Unwillingness of officers anil men to join it.— Defeat of a force- sent to disperse the tribes threatening Suakim.— Baker Pasha and his troops arrive at Suakim.— Visit to Massowah.— Bad news-

from Sinkat.— The Holy Sheikh.— The chiefs of neighbouring. tribes do him reverence,"and offer to assist againstthe Mahdi.—

They are received on board the Einynlus.—

Tokar in great peril.— Its relief determined on.—

The Soudanese Blacks.— Baker Pasha lands at Trinkitat with nearly 4000 men.— The troops cross the lagoon and commence their advance against the enemy. — Desperate charge of Arabs.— The Egvptian square broken.— A savagemassacre ensues.— Gallant deathstruggle of Englishofficers. — Flight ofthe remnant of the army, and its return to Suakim.— Panic at Suakim.— Landing of blue jackets andmarines.— Admiral" Hewitt appointed to the supreme command.— Forlorn sortie of the Sinkat garrison.— Massacre of Tewfik Bey and several hundred men.— Generally precarious condition of the garrisons in the Soudan 42.

CHAPTER IX. Political consequences of the destruction of Hicks Pasha's army.—

Withdrawal of the Soudan garrisons determined on.— General Gordon selected to effect this object.— His account of the arrange- ment.— His official instructions.— He arrives at Cairo accompanied. by Colonel Stewart.— Receives his appointment from the Khedive. — Hestarts for Khartoum.— Journey across the Nubian desert.— Arrives at Berber.— Supplants the Vice-Governor of the Soudan.— Proclamation to the inhabitants of Khartoum.— His reception at Khartoum.— Effects immediate administrative reforms.— Abolishes- the kourbash, remits arrears of taxes and empties the prison.— He embarks a portion of the garrison.— Telegraphs for Zebehr Pasha to be appointed to succeed him.— Objections onthe part of the British Government.— Failure of conciliating mission to the- tribes of the White Nile.— Gordon's first brush with the rebels. —Rescue of the Halfaya garrison.— Defeat of Gordon's troops at Halfaya.— Two treacherous Pashas executed.— Gordon offers the Sultanship of "WestDarfour to the Mahdi.— The Mahdi declines, and asks Gordon to become a Mussulman.— The tribes summoned against Khartoum.— Petty engagementswith the rebels.— Gordon's estimate of his assailants.— Khartouminvested. . . .56-

CHAPTER X. British expedition for the relief of Tokar determined on.— General Graham appointed to the command.— Arrival of troops at Suakim andtheir despatch to Trinkitat. -News received of the surrender of Tokar.—How it was brought about.— General Graham resolves- to advance.— Demonstrations on part of therebels.— Unsuccessful attemptto treat with them.—

The troops move forwardinsquare. —Skeletons of the victims of Baker Pasha's expedition line the way.—The rebels open fire from their entrenchments.— Baker Pasha wounded.— The enemy's works attacked.— The troops received with a rush by the rebels.— Fierce fighting at close quarters.— Brave action of Captain Wilson.— The rebel fort carried.— Advance against El Teb.— The enemy's camp and huts captured, together with the wells.— Desperate valour of the- Soudanese to the last.— The cavalry operations.— Rebel manSu- vres during the charge.— Horses hamstrung and riders speared.— Gallant rescue of Colonel Barrow.— Deaths of Major Slade and Lieutenants Probyn and Freeman.— Severe loss sustained by the rebels.— The advance upon Tokar, which is found almost aban- doned.— Discovery of artillery, rifles, and equipments looted from Baker Pasha's army.— Re-embarkation of the troops.— General Graham's farewell order.— Presentation of the Mahdi's standard to the Queen.— Decoration of Captain Wilson with the Victoria Cross ..- 04

The annexationof the Soudan.— Ismail Tasha's murder and Mehemet Bey's vengeance.— Periodic rebellions.— Sir Samuel Baker's con-

quests and ultimate resignation.— The Khedive Ismail's civilizing rule in Egypt.— The Soudan slave trade.— Zebehr, chief of the great bandof armed slave hunters.— The state maintained by him at Shakka.— Hisslaughterofthe governmenttroops,andsubsequent conquest ofDarfour.— Is created a Pasha.—

Binds his allies withan oath.— His mission to Cairo, where he finds himself detained in captivity 7

CHAPTER II. Geographical position of the Soudan.— Natural features.— Its various

provinces and extent.— Its principal towns.— Its semi-fertile and barren deserts.— The various races inhabiting the Soudan.— Its settled andnomadic tribes.— Their morestriking characteristics and warlikepropensities 11

CHAPTER III. Charles George Gordon.— Comes ofa family of soldiers.— Is gazetted to the RoyalEngineers.— His services inthe Crimea and in China.— Is appointed to the command of the"Ever Victorious Army."—

Crushes the Taeping rebellion.— Is decorated with the Yellow Jacket and the Peacock's Feather, and made a C. B.— Superintends the construction ofthe Thames defences.— Hisphilanthropic efforts at Gravesend.— Proceeds to the Soudan as Governor-General of the Equator.— His energetic andbeneficent rule.— Gives a deadly blow

to the slave trade.— Resignshis post andreturns to England . 1G

CHAPTER IV. Gordon returns to the Soudan withenlarged authority.— RevoltinDar- four.— He visits the slave raiders' camp unaccompanied,and secures their submission.— Slavery in the Soudan.— Difficulties attending its suppression.— Gordon summoned to Cairo on afinancial com- mission.— Is an incarnate terror to evildoersin the Soudan.— His official work at Khartoum.— Zebehr's son,Suleiman,proclaimshim- self lord of Bahr Ghazal.— Gordon breaks up the slavers' den at Shakka.-— Suleiman capturedandshot.— Zebehrtried and sentenced to death.— KhediveIsmail's abdication.— Gordon goes toIndia,the Mauritius, the Cape, and theHolyLand 20

CHAPTER V. Raouf Pasha succeeds Gordoninthe Soudan,andrenews the old system of oppression and torture.— The Khedive's authority destroyed by Arabi's rebellion.— The Soudan ready for the seed sown by the Mahdi.— The promised Mahdi and the date of his coming.—

Mahomed Ahmed, the pretended Mahdi.— His originand personal appearance.— His early knowledge of the Koran.— Is apprenticed to aboat-builder.— Runs awayandjoins a fakirschool near Khar-

toum.— Completeshis religious education and is ordained a fakir. — Prays and fasts incessantly in a cave at Aba.— Acquiresa great reputation for sanctity.— Assembles numerous fanatical dervishes around him.— Makeshis pretensionsknown to his fakir brethren, and then publicly proclaims his mission.—

Raouf Pasha despatches an emissary to remonstrate withhim, withill-success.— Successive defeat of various expeditions undertaken against the Mahdi.— The rebellion rapidly spreads 24

CHAPTER VI. Abd-el-Kader Tasha appointed Governor-General of the Soudan.—

The Mahdi's adherents attack and almost capture Senaar.— Rising in Kordofan and Darfour.— A series of desperate conflicts with Shereef Mahomed Taha, the Mahdi's vizier.— He is eventually slain andhishead sentto Khartoum.— Abd-el-Kader's well-directed efforts weakened by Arabi's revolt and by the successes of the

Mahdi's followers.— The Mahdi enters Kordofan and attacks El Obeid.— The besiegers repulsed after heavy slaughter.— Failure of anattempt withnew levies to relieve Bara.— Khartoum fortified.—

■ Moretroopsarriveinthe Soudanonthe collapseof Arabi'srebellion. — Abd-el-Kader defeats the rebels in Senaar.— Bara andEl Obeid capitulatetothe Mahdi.— Abd-el-Kaderrecalledto Cairo. — AUadeen Pasha succeeds him.— General Hicks takes command of the troops atKhartoum 29

CHAPTER VII. Major-GeneralHicks.— His military career.— He assumes the command

of the Soudan army.— Recep'tion at Suakim.— Arrival at Khar- toum.— Engages the Mahdi's followers under Amr-el-Makashef, near Merabieh, and signally defeats them.— Rejoicings over the