or its
protection."

While stationed in the Mauritius, Gordon attained the rank of
Major-General in the army, and another colonel of Engineers was sent
out to take his place. During the last three months of his residence
he filled, in addition to his own special post, that of the command of
all the troops on the station, and at one time it seemed as if he
might have been confirmed in the appointment. But this was not done,
owing, as he suggested, to the "determination not to appoint officers
of the Royal Artillery or Engineers to any command;" but a more
probable reason was that Gordon had been inquiring about and had
discovered that the colonists were not only a little discontented, but
had some ground for their discontent. By this time Gordon's
uncompromising sense of justice was beginning to be known in high
official quarters, and the then responsible Government had far too
many cares on its shoulders that could not be shirked to invite others
from so remote and unimportant a possession as the Mauritius.

Even before any official decision could have been arrived at in this
matter, fate had provided him with another destination.

Two passages have already been cited, showing the overtures first made
by the Cape Government, and then by Gordon himself, for his employment
in South Africa. Nothing came of those communications. On 23rd
February 1882, when an announcement was made by myself that Gordon
would vacate his command in a few weeks' time, the Cape Government
again expressed its desire to obtain the use of his services, and
moreover recollected the telegram to which no reply had been sent. Sir
Hercules Robinson, then Governor of the Cape, sent the following
telegram to the Colonial Secretary, the Earl of Kimberley:--

"Ministers request me to inquire whether H.M.'s Government would
permit them to obtain the services of Colonel Charles Gordon.
Ministers desire to invite Colonel Gordon to come to this Colony
for the purpose of consultation as to the best measures to be
adopted with reference to Basutoland, in the event of Parliament
sanctioning their proposals as to that territory, and to engage
his services, should he be willing to renew the offer made to
their predecessors in April 1881, to assist in terminating the
war and administering Basutoland."

Lord Kimberley then sent instructions by telegraph to Durban, and
thence by steamer, sanctioning Gordon's empl