Reorganization of the Coimtry. 365 steamer, and presently tamarinds will be exported. This new industry promises to be a real progress for the country, as hitherto nothing was exported but ivory, which, being ago vernment monopoly, was of no profit to the natives, while by collecting gum, tamarind and caoutchouc, they earned wages proportionate to their labour, eitlier in money or goods, so that already very many negroes are seen decently clothed. The first distribution of goods that was made in the villages, whose inhabitants had brought me caoutchouc, aroused great jealousy among the others, so that now everyone works with a good will, and rival each other in furnishing me with this material.

" Mr. Wilson and Dr. Felkin will shortly be in Khartoum. I am glad they came to Balir-el-Ghazal, for they stayed more than a month, and talked with the natives, observing what has been done for the benefit of the people. They assure me that as soon as they reach England they will publish all that they have seen through the Church Missionary Society.

" What has lately happened, and the fear of a war with Abyssinia, have forced me to send away two companies of regular troops, so that, deducting the sick and wounded, I have only about one hundred and fifty regular soldiers with whom to govern this immense district, but I am organizing native troops.

Surrounded as I am by seven or eight thousand Arabs, all enemies, it is a great trouble to keep my men to their duty until they can embark. I am obliged to rule by fear, and it is quite a miracle that 1 am still alive. My whole strength lies in the inhabitants, who obey me as if I were their Deity, and, if necessary, 1 should have more than ten thousand armed men ready to defend and die with me.

" On board the Is»ia?7m, February 17th, 1880. — The news of Gordon Pasha's resignation spread rapidly all through the Soudan. Though some thousand rich men, old oppressors of the poor, may rejoice,