I82 Seven Years in the Soudan.

construction of nugars. The Government arsenal of Khartoum had already consigned three hundred guns to me, with the necessary ammunition ; all were strongly packed in tin cases covered with wood, and I had also a small cannon of eight tons, and a culverin. Having then hired two large boats, and being at last in possession of the necessary money, I was ready to set out, when all at once news arrived which destroyed my brightest hopes.

An officer of the Egyptian army had arrived in great haste from Fashoda, bringing the dismal news that the son of Ziber Pasha, Suleiman Ziber Bey, had revolted, massacring all the garrison of Dem Idris, possessing himself of the cannon, arms and ammunition, and killing the natives who would not join him. Then having subjugated all the vast territory of Bahr-el-Ghazal, he had proclaimed its independence.

The Governor, Idris Bey, had taken refuge at Rohl, leaving the great depot of ammunition consigned to the care of his secretary-, Babeker, who, instead of joining Colonel Idris as he had been ordered to do, had halted in a wood and given notice of it to Suleiman.

Such news as this alarmed the country, and the proprietors of the principal seribe established at Khartoum, and all wlio had relations or interests in the Bahr-el-Ghazal, flocked to the Governor's palace to obtain information.

What rendered the situation more serious was the stranding of the steamer hmailla in the neighbom*-hood of Meshra-el-Rek. They believed it had fallen into the hands of the rebels.

This news caused serious apprehension to the Governor-General, who only a short time before had quelled the revolt at Darfour, pardoning Suleiman, and appointing him sub-Governor with a monthly stipend of fifty pounds sterling.

To complete the misfortune, dearth prevailed in