ANNEXATION OF THE SOUDAN. 209 troops, for the ostensible purpose of curbing the misdeeds of the Gallabahs, and the countries were then declared part of the Khedive's possessions. With the exception of the Equatorial Provinces, where Gordon Pasha did stop the slave trade, and where, thanks to the vigilance of the present governor, Dr. Emin Bey, it has not since revived, the authorities connived at the nefarious traffic.

The actual inhabitants of the provinces are not indeed permitted to be exported, except in occasional instances, for the simple reason that some population 7nust be left to provide the conquerors food and labour ; but the slave-dealers are allowed to go still farther south and west, and to transport as many slaves as they choose by the land route, and even in the government steamers from the Bahr-el-Ghazel to Egypt. Without taking the responsibility of saying whether the annexation of these countries was morally right or wrong, I am certain of one thing, that having once taken possession, it would be most iniquitous to evacuate them.

Until the advent of the slave-dealer, the native tribes lived generally at peace among themselves ; but since then a great change has taken place. Chief has been pitted against chief, the boundaries of tribes have been effaced, many of the native laws broken down, and the balance of power among the native rulers completely upset. Were the Egyptian troops to be withdrawn, they would not leave the VOL. II. p