62 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

death the treachery of the pasha's son and the slave-hunting chiefs who were his associates,1 and had, of course, confiscated the property of the rebellious chief in the Soudan. Gordon was quite aware that there was enmity against him in the heart of "the black pasha," probably a " blood feud," because of the slaying of Zebehr's son; but, as we know, he had long entertained the belief that only native rulers could successfully govern the Soudan provinces under any conditions that would be likely to prevail, and he had already turned his thoughts to the probable results of reinstating Zebehr in a position of authority, with a fair salary and under direct responsibility to the Egyptian and indirectly to the British government. If enough control could be maintained over the once powerful pasha to forbid his re-embarking in slave-raiding expeditions or permitting his associates to resume their iniquitous oppressions for the sake of gain, Zebehr would, he thought, be the man to be received with confidence by the tribes and to " smash up the Mahdi." It was apparently for the purpose of discovering what were the grounds of complaint which Zebehr had against him, and, therefore, how far it might be possible to induce the former pasha to co-operate with him, that Gordon sought for an interview or conference to be held at the British embassy in the presence of Sir Evelyn Baring, Nubar Pasha, Sir Evelyn Wood, Colonel Stewart, Colonel Watson, and Giegler Pasha, Mr. Aranghi acting as interpreter. There had been a good deal of conversation between Sir E. Baring and Gordon as to the manner in which Zebehr should be treated, and Gordon had told the British consulgeneral that, considering Zebehr's great influence in the Soudan, circumstances might arise which would render it desirable that he should be sent back there; but Sir Evelyn Baring said in his report to Earl Granville, " It would certainly not be desirable to send him there now, for he is manifestly animated by a feeling of deep resentment against General Gordon." This statement was borne out by the fact that, at Gordon's suggestion, Sir Evelyn informed Zebehr that he would be allowed to remain in Cairo, and that the future treatment he would receive at the hands of the Egyptian 1 VoL i. pp. 192-2 1 1.