252 THE DOWNFALL OF THE DERVISHES the western frontier of its East African possessions conterminous with that of the Congo State, and thus completely bar our advance from north or south. But in this case what was lost by the weakness of one Government may be recovered by the firmness of another ; and if this result be happily secured, the territories regained to civilisation by Lord Kitchener’s genius will be united to our vast possessions in the South, and Mr. Cecil Rhodes’ magnificent idea of a British Empire in Africa, stretching from Cairo to the Cape, will at length be realised in actual fact.