246 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

Suleiman. This information was obtained from one of the two survivors by the messenger. The man said that Colonel Stewart, whom he described as a tall man with a light beard, was certainly on board the steamer."

It was not, however, till four months later that the full truth was known. Then Hussein, the stoker of Stewart's steamer, escaped from the enemy, and came into the British camp. This is the story he told: — The party had left Khartum in September. There were with them two other steamers. On board the Abdai were Colonel Stewart, two pashas, two European consuls, Hassan Bey, twelve Greeks, and some Egyptian soldiers, besides the crew. When they reached Berber they shelled the forts there. After this the other steamers went back.

They came on down the Nile. Nothing happened until they had passed Abu Hamed, but on September iSth the steamer struck on a rock. They were then passing through Wad Gamr's country. As they had passed down they had seen the people running away into the hills on both sides of the river. When it was found that the steamer could not be got off the rock the small-boat, filled with useful things, was sent to a little island near.

Four trips were made. Then Colonel Stewart himself spiked the guns and threw them overboard, and also two boxes of ammunition. The people now came down to the right bank in great numbers, shouting, " Give us peace and grain." Stewart's party answered, " Peace." Suleiman Wad Gamr himself was in a small house near the bank, and he came out and called to Colonel Stewart to land without fear, but said that the soldiers must be unarmed or the people would be afraid of them. Colonel Stewart, after talking it over with the others, then crossed in the boats with the two English consuls and Hassan Bey and entered the house of a blind man, Fakir Etman, to arrange with Suleiman for the purchase of camels to take the party down to Dongola. None of the four had any arms, with the exception of Colonel Stewart, who carried a small revolver in his pocket. While they were in the house the rest besfan to land in the boat. After a little time these saw Suleiman come out of the house with a copper water-pot in