RUNNING THE GAUNTLET. " ALL IS OVER. I I I were running into the jaws of destruction; and it soon appeared that this was so, for guns from Omdurman, and guns from Khartum, or from the end of the island near the city, poured out their fire, while a roll of musketry from each bank of the river kept up a perpetual accompaniment to the rush of the hurtling shells from the Krupps, or the hoarse murmurs of a mitrailleuse. On still, till they had reached the junction of the Blue and White Niles, and then they knew that there was no hope of entering the town, or of taking aid to him who had held it to the bitter end. Not a flag was flying in Khartum. The two steamers which Gordon had kept there were not to be seen; but close to the town stood a multitude of dervishes with their banners, an overwhelming force, to resist any attempt at landing; the trenches at Omdurman were filled with riflemen, there were parties of men on the island of Tuti, and still the storm of artillery raged and roared. To attempt to land would be madness; to remain would be destruction; and the order was given for the steamers to turn and run at full speed down the river; the Bordein passing the Talahawiyeh, which had been delayed for a few minutes by running aground off Tuti.

All was over; and Khashm-el-Mus, who, like the rest of the Soudanese, had lost everything—wives, children, property—covered his face and sank into a corner of the turret. There would have been a collapse and a cessation of resistance but for the cool, selfrestraining imperturbability of the English officers, who roused up the gunner and the native chiefs, not without some strong language.

Through the same course of smoke and flame they went, without responding to the signal of a man who came down to the bank on a white camel and waved a flag of truce; for the Mahdi's emissaries were treacherous, and there was no cessation of the roar of the guns. The steamers were not very seriously injured. One man was killed and five wounded, but all the officers had narrow escapes: Sir Charles Wilson was struck by a spent shot above the knee and his field-glass was broken in his hand. All the men had behaved well, and the Egyptian interpreter proved that he, at all events, was not one of the " hens."