Gordon and the Slave Trade. 165 troops and ammunition. Gordon now decided that it would be prudent to reinstate the Sultan's family in Darfur, in the person of the son of Sultan Ibrahim, and telegraphed to the Khedive to send him down, as, at that time, he was kept at Cairo. In December, 1877, Gordon had found, imprisoned at Saakin, an ex-Vizier of Darfur; lie had liberated him and sent him back to the province. Now he appointed him Regent, until the son of the deceased Sultan arrived from Cairo, and wrote to Harun pointing out the uselessness of his further opposition, and iiviting him to come in and assist to establish the new Sultan. In a letter written at this time he makes the following observation :—" If the liberation of slaves takes place in 1884 [in Egypt proper], and the present system of government goes on, there cannot fail to be a revolt of the whole country .... It is rather amusing to think that the people of Cairo are quite oblivious that in 18 34 their revenue will fall to one-half, and that the country will need more troops to keep it quiet. Seven-eighths of the population of the Sudan are slaves, and the loss of revenue in 1889 (the date fixed for the liberation of the slaves in Egypt's outlying territories) will be more than two-thirds, if it is ever carried out."

Gordon, leaving Shakkain April, went by Kalaka, Dara, El Fasher, to Kolkol, which he reached on 26th May; here he relieved the garrison, and returned to El Fasher. At the latter place he heard from Gessi of the capture of Suliman's stronghold, and was about to start for Khartum, when learning that a force of Zubehr's men was en route for Darfur, he returned to Towaisha, and, on June 25th, lie met Gessi, who informed him that the last of the rebel Gordon bands had been crushed. Leaving Gessi to follow up jungSh" ' Suliman, Gordon now left for Khartum. 1879.

Gessi's Campaign, 1878.* Before Zubehr had left for Cairo to push his claims to Revolt the Governorship of Darfnr, he had made his officers swear zulbSr* 7 that if, during his absence, he sent them word to conform 1878 -to the arrangements he had made under a certain tree, then they were to revolt. He accordngly did send them # " Colonel Gordon in Central Africa," p. 371.