454 Seven Years in the Soudan.

opinion of your compatriot (lessi Pasha, and what is the conclusion I have come to on his account.

" As 3''ou already knoAv, I was with him two months, from October to December 1879, and I travelled in his company throuo-h a great part of the province of Balir-el-Ghazal. I had therefore an opportunity of observing his method of government, and treatment of the natives.

" I believe he was exactly the man fitted for the task to be accomplished, and that Gordon Pasha could have found no man more useful than Gessi for the work. Gessi had an arduous task and thoroughly fulfilled it. He conducted a difficult and dangerous war to a happy conclusion, having been obliged to fight against troops larger in number and better armed than his own. T crossed a great part of the countr}' where the battles took place, and can witness to their fierceness. Besides, T spoke with many persons, independent witnesses, who had served under Gessi Pasha, and all agreed in what I now tell you.

" The province of Bahr-el-Ghazal is a beautiful country, which might yield a rich revenue to any intelligent government, who would adopt a liberal policy, and not that of the Turks, which is suicidal. Under an active government the district of Bahrel-Ghazal would become an important source of revenue for the power who had the good fortune to possess it.

"But, till now, it has been bled by the slave trade, which Gessi Pasha has fortunately been able to suppress in great part. Tf an Arab governor were sent to that province, the horrible trade would flourish as before. I consider it to be the duty of the European powers in the interests of humanity' and civilization, to insist that the local governors of the Soudan shall be Europeans ; otherwise we shall have no guarantee that the slave trade, with all its horrors, will not revive.