The Death of Siileiinan.

and only a third part of tlie caravan reaches its destination.'

" ' But,' I said, ' why has the Government not done the same tiling in the north part of Bahr-el-Ghazal ? ' " ' The Government,' replied the Arab, ' has never had the firm intention of abolishing slavery. Although precise orders came from Cairo no one took care that they Tvere executed, and Khartoum and the Viceroy were too far away to exercise any vigilance. Baker Pasha prevented the traffic by water, so that you and your consuls might write that slavery was abolished. But the Europeans never penetrate into Kordofan ; only the Arabs, Copts, and a few Greeks went there. The Arabs and Copts, except as to religion, have the same principles, and the Greeks, if only they make a profitable business, do not trouble themselves about anything else. And, really, can we live without slaves ? Who would grind our doora ? Who, if not a slave, could cultivate our fields under such an ardent sun ? When once slavery is completely destroyed, the Soudan will, in a very short time, become a desert.'

" ' But do you perhaps think,' I said, ' that in future slaves can be got from Bahr-el-Ghazal ? ' " ' Oh, that will be impossible, now that you have occupied the country. Once it might have been attempted, for in case of non-success there was only the risk of being arrested for a short time, a thing that rarely happened, however ; but now things are changed. Now that the punishment is to be shot, no one is so mad as to go there to trade in slaves, all the more, that they can do so freely in other places.' ' But,' I asked, ' are you not afraid that the trade will be prevented in those other places also ? ' " ' It is possible,' replied the Arab, ' but will Gordon remain many years among us ! And, after him, will another Gordon come ? '