44 THE WAR IN THE SOUDAN.

be done in certain cases, that I will carry out the evacuation as far as possible according to their wish to the best of my ability, and with avoidance, as far

as possible, of all fighting. I would, however, hope that Her Majesty’s Gov¬ ernment will give me their support and consideration should I be unable to

fulfil all their expectations.

“ 5. Though it is out of my province to give any opinion as to the action of Her Majesty’s Government in leaving the Soudan, still I must say it would be an iniquity to reconquer these peoples and then hand them back to the Egyp¬ tians without guarantees of future good government. It is evident that this

we cannot secure them without an inordinate expenditure of men and money.

The Soudan is a useless possession, ever was so, and ever will be so. Larger than Germany, France, and Spain together, and mostly barren, it cannot be governed except by a Dictator, who may be good or bad. If bad, he will

cause constant revolts. No one who has ever lived in the Soudan can escape the reflection—‘What a useless possession is this land.’ Few men also can stand its fearful monotony and deadly climate.

“ 6. Said Pasha, the Viceroy before Ismail, went up to the Soudan with Count F. de Lesseps. He was so discouraged and horrified at the misery of the people, that at Berber Count de Lesseps saw him throw his guns into the river, declaring that he would be no party to such oppression. It was only after the urgent solicitations of European Consuls and others that he recon¬

sidered his decision. Therefore, I think Her Majesty’s Government are fully justified in recommending the evacuation, inasmuch as the sacrifices necessary

towards securing a good government would be far too onerous to admit of such an attempt being made. Indeed, one may say it is impracticable at any

cost. Her Majesty’s Government will now leave them as God has placed them ; they are not forced to fight among themselves, and they will no longer

be oppressed by men coming from lands so remote as Circassia, Kurdistan, and Anatolia.”

Thus he wrote officially ; but in his speeches to the people, in his private

correspondence, and in his semi-official communications, the thoroughly -whole¬ hearted manner in which he seemed to be eaten up with the zeal of his project continually shows itself. As probably it has been with all truly great conquerors, clemency was, if not his salient characteristic, by no means a

secondary one. The wrongs which the poor, wretched, down-trodden Soudanese had so long borne seemed to pierce him to the heart. He was on an errand of mercy. It was a labor of love in the truest sense. This he be¬ lieved ; this he expressed. His last words to Nubar Pasha on leaving Cairo were : “I will save the honour of Egypt.”