KHARTOUM 24i “ I certainly shall not part with you, Zaki, as long as I remain in this country, which will probably be for a long time.’

The next day Zaki aided in carrying his sisters’ goods down to the river bank, and saw them on board one of the native craft, which carried also fifteen or twenty other fugitives.

“Now, Mr. Hilliard,” General Hunter said that morning, “ you can devote yourself to the object for which you came here. Unquestionably there must be many among the prisoners who fought at El Obeid. You may gather all particulars of the battle from their lips. The greater portion of the white troops will march down the country at once. Of course I don’t know what your plans may be, but unless you have a very good reason to the contrary I should certainly advise you to retain your position in the Egyptian army. A great deal of work will have to be done before matters are quite settled down, and then civil administration of some sort will of course be formed, under which you would certainly obtain a far better post than you could hope to get at home.”

“ I have quite made up my mind to do so, sir. Certainly when I left Cairo I had no idea of remaining permanently in the service; but I have been so exceptionally fortunate, owing largely to your kindness, that I have been seriously thinking the matter over, and am quite determined that if I can obtain an appointment I will remain here. I have no ties whatever either in Lower Egypt or in England, no way of earning my living there, and possibly, as I have begun so early, I may rest in time in what will no doubt become an important branch of the Egyptian administration.”

“ I am glad to hear that you take that view. We all grumble at the Soudan, and yet there are few of us but would be sorry to leave it ; and there can be no doubt whatever that, under our administration, it will in time become a magnificently rich and fertile province.”

Being relieved from other duty at present, Gregory went to the great yard near the mosque, called the Praying Square,