.GORDON AND THE MAHDI. 64 THE PALACE, KHARTOUM, that steps shouldbe at once taken to effectthe relief of Tokar, by the aid of a British force. It was decided that the troops at Cairo, under General Stephenson, should be drawn upon for this purpose, and that the command of the expedition should be given to Major General Sir Gerald Graham, K.C.B., V.C., who had led the SecondBrigade of Lord Wolseley's army in the Telel-Kebir campaign. Messages were dispatched to the garrison at Tokar, urging* it to hold out, as relief was on the way, and the expeditionwashurried forwardwith allpossible speed. Suakim was the spot selectedfor the concentration of the troops, consisting of the 10th and 19th Hussars, the RoyalHighlanders (Black Watch), the Gordon Highlanders, the 60th Rifles, the Royal Irish Fusiliers,the York and Lancaster regiment from Aden, a body of mounted infantry and a brigade of marines drawnfrom the fleet. It wasintendedthattheEgyptian Camelcorps, the men composing which werecrack shots, should form part of the expedition, but it failed to arrive in time, owing to the difficulty of getting the animalsonboardship.

General Graham was engaged on a tour of inspection up the Nile, when he received his appointment,and at once proceeded to Suakim. Meanwhile Osman Digna, the leader of the hostile tribes, had been directly communicated with by Admiral Sir William Hewett, who warnedhim that a British force was coming to relieve Tokar, and at the same time informed him, that the British Government wished to avoid useless bloodshed, and would not injure the tribes if they desisted from opposingthis purpose. The reply of OsmanDigna was that he felt himself obliged to take Tokar, and must thereforefight the British and compel them to depart. As an earnest ofhis intentionsin this respect a number of rebels advanced to the outer line of entrenchments surrounding Suakim on the night of February 16,and on to Cairo, wasnotknown. At this timeno communication from the outside hadreached Khartoum for three weeks. Meanwhile the tribes had responded to the Mahdi's summons, and Khartoum was completely invested. YetGordon wroteonMarch 31:— "IwishIcould convey to youmyimpressions of the truly trumpery nature of this revolt, which 500 determined men could put down. I break my head over our impotence, and the more so whenIfeel that, once the Soudan taken, youmay expect such a crop of trouble in all Moslem States. Be assured for the present, and for the next two months, weare as safe here as atCairo. If you would get by good payment 3,000 Turkish infantry and 1,000 Turkish cavalry, the affair, including the crushing of the Mahdi, would be accomplished in four months."

CHAPTER X.

British expedition for the relief of Tokar determined ou.— General Graham appointedto the command.— Arrival of troops at Suakim and their despatch to Trinkitat— News received of the surrender of Tokar.— Howitwas brought about.— General Graham resolves toadvance.— Demonstrations onpart of the rebels.— Unsuccessful attemptto treat with them.— The troops move forward insquare. — Skeletons of the victims of Baker Pasha's expedition line the way.— The rebels open fire from their entrenchments.— Baker Pasha wounded.— The enemy's works attacked.— The troops received with a rush by the rebels. — Fierce fighting at close quarters.— Brave action of Captain Wilson. — The rebel fort -carried.— Advance against ElTeb.— The enemy's camp and huts captured, together with the wells.— Desperate valour of the Soudanese to the last.— The cavalry operations.— Rebel manSuvres during the charge.— Horseshamstrung andriders speared.— Gallant rescue of Colonel Barrow.— Deaths of Major Slade and Lieutenants Probyn and Freeman. — Severe loss sustained by the rebels.— The advance upon Tokar, which is found almost abandoned.— Discovery of artillery, rifles, and equipments looted from Baker Pasha's army.— Re-embarkation of the troops.— General Graham'sfarewell order.— Presentation of the Mahdi's standard to theQueen.— Decoration of Captain Wilson withthe VictoriaCross.

Onthe news of the disaster to thearmycommandedby Baker Pasha reachingEngland, the Governmentresolved