GORDON AND THE MAHDI. 47

BLACK TROOPS EMBARKING AT MASSOWAH FOR SUAKIM.

big nearly as themselves,and of powder the grains of

which were larger than grape shot. The Nordenfeldt guns whichshoweredbulletswith whatwouldhaveproved deadly precision had they been aimed at a crowd of charging Arabs, were also the object ofmuch admiration, andthenamineof 701bs.of guncotton, sunk somehundred yards or so away fromthe ship, was fired by electricity.

All these things it was evident impressed the sightseers vastly. They huddled together as they moved along the deck, and looked around them timidly like a flock of sheepwhendriven intoa strangefold. At theirdeparture a salute of gun cotton charges suspended to the yard- armand fired by electricity, was accorded them.

The garrison at Tokar soon proved to be in even