The British Campaign in the Soudan. 135 Every thing in this world is relative. What would be an intolerable government for France or England may be very acceptable to a semi-civilized population, especially if it is better than any thing they have experienced before.

I explored the greater part of the Soudan—the deserts between the Nile and the Red Sea from Kenneh to Suakim, as well as Kordofan on the west of the Nile.

Altogether I spent two years travelling 6,000 miles on camel-back among the most numerous and powerful Bedouin tribes now in insurrection, and visiting all the principal cities—Berber, Dongola, Debbé, El Obeid, Khartoum, Suakim, ete. etc. In all my explorations I had the best opportunities, and I made it a point to examine the condition of the country and the people. There were certainly no reasons to bias my judgment, and I give now the result of my experience and observations.

Everywhere I found the primary element of civilization and without which none can exist,—submission to law.

It may be thought a crude aud defective law, but it possesses the advantage of the universal assent of the people, being based upon the Koran, which on the whole, is a humane and equitable code. Life and property were safer than in our own wild border lands. Of that ruffianism which makes a hero of a bandit like Jesse James and glorifies the monster who has killed a score of men in private brawls, there was not a trace. Murders were rare and generally punished with death. I remember seeing at El Obeid the body of a murderer hanging from the gallows on the market-place. He had been convicted after a regular trial before the Cadi, but it was not until the case had been carefully revised by the