l6o EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

Berber and the massacre of the garrison; the number of persons killed was stated to be 3500.

Gordon had received the telegram which was repeated on May 5th, but it was the 30th of July before he could send a despatch in reply. He then said that the Nile was high, and he hoped to open the route to Sennar in a few days. Stewart had been slightly wounded in the arm, but was all right again, and there had been no serious losses.

He emphatically declared that the hostilities which he maintained were far from being sought for; but there was no option, since retreat was impossible unless they abandoned civil employes and their families, which was against the creneral feeline of the troops. He had no advice to give. If they could open Sennar and the Blue Nile they would be strong enough to retake Berber, if Dono-ola still held out. The Mahdi would not send succour there.

None of the money that was given to Gordon reached Khartum.

It had been captured at Berber, and he wanted ,£200,000 sent to Kassala. The expense of the garrisons would have to be met. Khartum cost 500 a day. If the route got opened to Kassala he would send Stewart there with his journal, if he would consent to go. The whole war, he said, was hateful to him, and if there had been any possible way of avoiding the wretched fighting he would have adopted it. The people refused to let him go out on expeditions, owing to the difficulties that would arise in case anything happened. If he could have made any one chief at Khartum he would have done it, but it was impossible, "for all the good men were killed with Hicks." .

It should be borne in mind that at the period when the difficulties of communication with Gordon commenced, Majorgeneral Graham had only just completed his successful repulse of Osman Digma's horde of rebels at El-Teb, and was about moving against them at Tamanieb. The government were so far consistent to their non-intervention policy, that on learning of this intention to advance against the position of the rebels, they telegraphed to Sir E. Baring, saying that they were averse to further military operations being undertaken, unless General