366 Seveit Years in the Soudan.

the people lament the loss of one who was a real father to them. In fact they are most affected by this blow. No one will ever do as much as Gordon has done to ameliorate their condition.

" "Wlien Gordon was nominated Governor of the Soudan, all the sheikhs, without exception, were indebted to the Government in sums which they could never have been able to pa) The Government taxes were not the onh' ones ; under the old regime others were illegally imposed by Government officials. During Gordon Pasha's brief administration, however, the sheikhs paid their debts, and all illegal taxes were abolished, so that the peasants had never been in such good circumstances.

" The traders in human flesh truly rejoice at Gordon's resignation. In the hope of the rcA'ival of the infamous traffic, and that I also should soon be recalled, the Jelablia returned by thousands to Shakka to attempt a grand attack on Bahr-el-Ghazal. The great demand for, and scarcity of slaves, the price of whom had trebled, encouraged the Jelabba to make four raids in Bahr el-Ghazal, but each effort ended unfortunately.

" One raid was made at Delgauna. The negroes allowed the slavers to advance, and when they reached a certain point received them with an effective volley. After losing fourteen men, the slaA'ers fled, leaving a quantit} of material and cotton. I am assured that the fugitives were killed.

" The second raid took place near the mines at Hofrat-el-Nahas, but unfortunateh" the slavers were warned by scouts that the natives were waiting for them armed with four hundred guns, so that they retreated in haste.

The third attempt was made at Abi Muri, near Dem Suleiman, where our trooj)s arrived in time to arrest the three principal slavers, who had with them sixteen slaves in chains. It seems that this band, forty in number, had arranged with some