Gordon, a.d. 1876—1877... 239 and succeeded in circumnavigating the lake in nine days, finding it to be only 140 miles long and 50 miles wide. The natives showed themselves hostile, and the west coast was inaccessible.

In January, Gordon had given up all idea of forming an expedition to meet that proposed from the Juba river ; his reasons were that his troops were utterly untrustworthy and unfitted for such a task.

In July a steamer, brought up with much difficulty, was at length put together above the Dufile Falls, and the passage cleared to the Albert Lake.

A treaty was made with M'tesa recognising his independence, and Dr. Emin EfEendi,* a German by birth, was sent to him as Gordon's representative.

In October Gordon left for Khartoum and thence for England, having handed over the government of his province to Gordon Colonel Prout. He had during the three years successfully checked the slave trade in the Equatorial provinces, and '""''" *""'" estabhshed the basis of a sound government, if such could be found under Egyptian rule. That he could not entirely octo'w ' suppress the slave trade was due to its huge ramifications, the despicable quahty of his troops, and the resistance offered 187(i. ' to all his endeavours by the government of the Sudan under Ismail Yagub Pasha.

In February, 1877, Gordon, under pressure, returned to Egypt, and the Khedive made him Governor-General of Gordon the Sudan, uniting in one great province the Sudan, the Equatorial provinces, and the Red Sea provinces ; thus giving r?t"''"« *" him a district some 1,640 miles in length by an average of 660 in breadth, with three Wakils (deputy governors) for Feb.'uary, Sudan proper, Darfur, and the Red Sea provinces respectively. The Khedive drew his attention specially to the 1877. suppression of the slave trade and the improvement of the communications, and gave him powers to negotiate with Abyssinia in order to end the disputes with King John.

Gordon at once proceeded, vid Massaua, to the Abyssinian frontier to make a treaty, if possible, with the King. He Gordon goes found that there was no hope of bringing the matter to a satisfactory result till a stop was put to the raids of Walad *» Abyssinia, Mikael. Just now a large portion of Gordon's troops were withdrawn for service in the Turco-Russian war, and it was useless for him to think of using force against Mikael, while the news of a serious revolt in Darfur required his presence elsewhere. He therefore agreed to supply Walad Mikael with money and provisions, on condition that he gave up his attacks on Abyssinia. King John, taking advantage of this temporary respite, proceeded to attack Menehk, King of Shoa.

Gordon having visited Bogos, Kassala, Gedaref, and Sennar, proceeded to Khartoum ; here he spent some time in carrying out reforms, amongst others in giving back to the Ulema their ancient privileges of which they had been deprived by the late Governor, Ismail Yagub Pasha. In May, however, he found himself obhged to start for Darfur.

Harun, a relative of the late Sultan of Darfur, and a claimant to the throne, took advantage of the discontent caused by the misgovernment of the province to raise a revolt in February, 1877. He had a very large number of men i877. with him as the nomad tribes, who had not helped the Sultan when Darfur was conquered in 1874,now joined his standard.

These tribes were semi-independent imder their own Sheikhs, and each of them could put from 2,000 to 6,000 horse or camel-men into the field. They were largely engaged in the slave trade, making raids on the negro tribes to the south, or buying slaves from other nomad tribes who hved out of range to the west. Though the traffic of the large slave caravans had ceased, yet there was still an extensive trade carried on by small dealers, which it was impossible to put down.

The Governor of Darfur at this time was Hassan Hilmi Pasha, who showed no energy, as up to May he had failed to render assistance to the stations of El Fasher, Dara, Kolkol, and Kebkebia, where the followers of Harun had hemmed in the Egyptian garrisons. A force had, it is true, been sent from Foga for the purpose, but seemed unable to accomphsh the task.

Gordon arrived himself at Foga on the 7th June, having dismissed, before his departure from Khartoum, Khaled Gordon Pasha, who had been sent to him as second in command. '-|>".f " '" In addition to the revolt in Darfur, Suleiman, son of Zubeir, was now at the head of the slave dealers to the south, June 1877. and, having a large force at his command, was displaying a threatening attitude. Shakka was his headquarters, and the nest of the slave trade in that part. Gordon, considering the country was scarcely worth keeping, determined to call in all the outlying stations of Darfur, and merely maintain garrisons along the trunk road through El Fasher. Harun was at Tine, and Gordon intended to move against him with the force at his disposal, reinforced by the garrisons of Taweisha, Dara, and Kagmar, in all about 3,000 men. In July he was at Dara, and Harun retreated to Tura, whence he ravaged the country to the north, but, seeing Gordon was too strong for him, disappeared for the time.

Gordon was at El Fasher in August, but soon after left for Dara, where he heard that the slave dealers were gathering Meeting in force. Here he met Suleiman and ordered him to lay down his arms ; after some hesitation Suleiman left a large \ number of his men with Gordon and returned to Shakka ; to this place Gordon followed him about the middle of „gu™°' 1377. * Edward Schnitzer.