256 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

the expedition in charge, and they were determined to do well with them.

But it was the second week in November before these boats reached Dal, and on the 14th a messenger from Major Kitchener arrived at Dongola with a letter from Gordon to Lord Wolseley dated November 4th, and despatches in cipher for the government.

This was the letter referring to the death of Colonel Stewart. The Mahdi was eight hours' journey from Khartum. The Mudir of Dongola had also received a message from Gordon promoting him and his fellow-notables, and expecting him to fight to the last, as lie himself meant to do. The messenger had said that the general illuminated Khartum in honour of Lord Wolseley and the advancing force, and it was reported that there was plenty of food, and that thirty boats had come in laden with grain from the Blue Nile on the day of the messenger's departure. Another messenger came in soon afterwards reporting that Gordon had been joined by some deserters from the Mahdi's camp. Affairs at Khartum were evidently approaching a crisis. The Mahdi in all probability hastened his movements, and prepared to strike a blow at Gordon and take the place. He marched up from Obeid with perhaps 30,000 men and occupied Omdurman, only a few miles from Khartum. Thence he summoned Gordon to surrender the alreadybeleaguered city. The answer returned was: — "If you are the real Mahdi dry up the Nile and come over and I'll surrender."

It was afterwards declared that the Mahdi actually essayed to accomplish what Gordon had ironically challenged him to do — ■ that he ordered his followers to march across the river, and that three thousand of them perished in the attempt. He then commenced the attack, but Gordon with his twelve steamers and 800 brave followers, by means of eight hours' hard fighting outside the walls and by blowing up the enemy's forts with mines, drove him out of Omdurman southward to a place called El Margal, where the pretended prophet hid himself in a cave, and gave out that after sixty days of rest blood would flow like water.

Gordon's letter to Lord Wolseley had, as it was afterwards known, disclosed that there were at Khartum enough provisions