* * *

Then came the news that Suleiman had revolted, and had overrun the
province of Bahr-el-Ghazal on the south of Darfour. Gordon's old
follower and lieutenant Gessi was sent with some troops to put down the
revolt; but it was a rainy season, and the country was partially under
water. He had only one thousand troops, while daily fresh Arabs swelled
the army of the successful leader; but he was enterprising as well as
prudent, and in the middle of November he came up with the enemy and
entrenched himself behind stockades on the river Dyoor. Here Suleiman
attacked him again and again, and again and again was beaten back. Gessi
sent repeated messages to Gordon for help and ammunition, but all that
the governor general could spare was soon exhausted. At length Gessi
obtained some from the Bahr-el-Ghazal, and now was able to leave his
camp and successfully attack bands of slave-dealers. At length he
stormed a town where Suleiman was stationed, and nearly captured 'the
Cub' himself. Finding to his disgust that the leader had escaped, Gessi
followed him westwards through deserted villages and dense forests, and
though he did not succeed in catching his prey, he was able to break up
the gang of slave-dealers.

Meanwhile Gordon had left Khartoum and had gone to the slave-dealers'
headquarters at Shaka, and then back towards Khartoum, capturing many
caravans on the way. During one week, on his way from Oomchanga to
Toashia, he thinks he must have taken about six hundred slaves, and he
puts down the number that had lost their lives in the last four years
from the cruelty of the dealers to have been at least one hundred
thousand in Darfour alone.

At Toashia Gordon had a short interview with Gessi, whom he created a
pasha and made governor of the Bahr-el-Ghazal, with a present of L2,000.
On his way back to his province news was brought to Gessi of Suleiman's
whereabouts. He at once started in pursuit with three hundred men, and
came up with Suleiman during the night at Gara. The slave dealer, taken
by surprise, surrendered, and was shot next day, and it would have been
well for the Soudan if Suleiman's father Zebehr had paid the same
penalty for his rebellion against the khedive.

* * * * *

It was in the year 1879 that the khedive Ismail was deposed at Cairo,
and Tewfik appointed in his place. The new khedive seemed fully as
anxious as his predecessors to make use of the one ma