GORDON AND THE MAHDI. 147 LOOKING DOWN THE NILE FROM KHARTOUM water's edge, brandishing their weapons,firing at the steamers or shouting derisively the news of Gordon's fate. One dervishapproached the river'sbrink,carrying a white flag, and tried to attract the attentionof those onboard. Whatever hispurpose mayhave been it was impossible to parley, for guns were throwing shot and shell from three points— Khartoum, Omdurman, and Halfaya— while a continuous rifle firecame fromallsides.

The Bordein according to Lieutenant Stuart Wortley's officialreport, crept to within two hundred yards of the north-west shore of Khartoumand then perceived that no flag was waving from the staff on the palace. Some of the buildings wereinruins andthe city was clearly in the Mahdi's hands.

sent out to collect information. They shortly returned, and reported that Khartoum had fallen on the night of January 26, through the treachery of Faragh Pasha, the very scoundrel mentioned in Gordon's private letter, and said to havebeen originally a black slave whom the Generalhadfreedand intrustedwith the commandof the Soudanese troops. This man had opened the gates of Khartoum to the Mahdi's followers, and a terrible massacre had ensued, the heroicgovernorbeing*slain,and allhis followers withhim.

The British expedition had failed; many lives had beensacrificed,andmillionsof money had beenexpended fornopurpose. LordWolseley hadcertainly done everythingin his power to bring about a different issue, short of assuming the command of the Bayuda flyingcolumn in person. He had, however, confided the expeditionto an energetic and able officer, Sir Herbert Stewart, and but for the latter's wound, Khartoum would in all probability have been reached in time, and Gordon saved. Such a resultmight still have been attained,perhaps, if the Commander-in-Chief had placed a really competent officerbesideSirHerbert Stewartto secondhisendeavours and assume the commandin the event of any misfortune befalling him. Unfortunately, however, the direction of the column devolved upon ColonelSir Charles Wilson who was scarcely fitted for such arduous duties. But much as onemayregretthat he didnot start fromGubat assoonas Khasm-el-Moosarrivedtherewith the steamers, much as one may regret that Lord Wolseley did not provide Sir Herbert Stewart with an efficient coadjutor, it is not to them thatblame mainly attaches. The real responsibility rests upon shoulders which have vainly essayed to shake it off, upon the ministers whose policywas procrastination,and who were onlydriven to action at the eleventh hourby the clamour of publicopinion.

The precise circumstancesunder which Khartoum fell into the hands of therebels cannot be detailed with cer-As the steamers were wellprotected by armour-plates the loss on board had been very slight. Only two men were killed and sixteenwere wounded. One shell, however, had burston the Tellhoweiya's cabin, and the Bordein's dingy had been blownto pieces. The first view of Khartoumin the rebels' hands had momentarily demoralized the native crews and soldiers. Kashm-el-Moos, his officers and men, threw themselves upon the decks, covering their heads and weepinglike children. Gordon'sadmiralsuspected,and ultimatelylearned that he had lost his three sons and all his property in the capture of the city. When actually under fire,however, all thenatives fought withgreatbravery. Themenof the Royal Sussex,on their side, fired volley after volley,until at last their shouldersfairly ached;and it is certain that the rebels lostseveral hundredmen during the action.

As it was quite impossible to land under so heavy a fire, Sir Charles Wilson, realising that further efforts would be useless, ordered the steamers to put aboutand o*o full speed down the river again. By a quarter past four in the afternoon the expeditionwas oncemoreout of rangeof the enemy's guns. A stoppage wasmade at anisland below Gebel Royan,and messengers were then