CLOSE OF CAMPAIGN. 235 bullets cannot recognise them and will consequently kill them, and afterwards you will be responsible before God for their blood.

“Stand firm you and your helpers only in the field of battle to meet the punishment prepared for you by the praised God. But if you and your Emirs incline to surrender to prevent blood being shed, we Shall receive your envoy with due welcome, and be sure that we shall treat you with justice and peace.

(Sealed) KITCHENER, ‘‘ Sirdar of the Troops in the Soudan.”

Colonel Maxwell was appointed Commandant of Omdurman, and his brigade was quartered in the town, detachments occupying the principal buildings.

Among the places so held were the Arsenal, the Khalifa’s and his son the Sheikh Ed Din’s houses, the Treasury, Tomb and Mosque enclosure. The rest of the troops were moved two miles to the north of the town, where a camp was formed along the river bank.

Omdurman was too abominably dirty to risk keeping a single soldier in the place other than was absolutely necessary. Not an hour was wasted. The Sirdar’s practice was—abundant work for each day and all plans prepared ahead for the next. The submission of sheikhs and their followers had to be received, the pursuit of the Khalifa pressed, wounded dervishes and prisoners provided for, as well as the thousands of poor in Omdurman helped in various ways. Then there had to be arranged-for the disposal of the spoils of war, repatriation for many of Abdullah’s enforced subjects, the formal reoccupation of Khartoum, and the immediate despatch back to Lower Egypt of the British troops whose services were no longer required. All this and much more was done, nor am I aware that