SEBEER PASHA. 165 .which at the close of the war was conferred upon him; but considered that in acknowledgment of his services he ought to be made governor of the province. He well knew that since the slave-traffic by the White Nile route had been stopped by Gordon Pasha, Darfour was the key to the slave-hunting grounds ; also that the revenue he could esact from the caravans passing through the province, as well as the facilities he would possess, as governor, for transporting his own slaves at government cost, would be a source of immense profit. The Egyptian government not acceding to his request, he went down to Cairo to urge his claims in person, taking with him costly presents, with which to bribe the Pashas. His knowledge of the intrigues at the Egyptian capital warned him to try to secure a safe retreat ; so before leaving Darfour he assembled his sandjaks and bound them by a terrible oath on the Koran, to obey his son and carry out his orders should he be unable to return. He was detained at Cairo, and his son then became the recognised leader of the robber band.

Sebehr Pasha's headquarters were at Dem Sebehr, now called Dem Suleiman ; but in 1877 the slavedealers had assembled in immense numbers at Shaka, from which centre they pillaged and oppressed their neighbours. Their troops were recklessly brave, and well armed; and but for the hatred which their cruelties had excited among