attempt to get
the Palestine Canal made, and quit Egypt to work out its own
salvation. In doing so lots of anarchy will take place. This
anarchy is inseparable from a peaceful solution; it is the
travail in birth. Her Majesty's Government do not prevent anarchy
now; therefore better leave the country, and thus avoid a
responsibility which gives no advantage, and is mean and
dangerous."

In a letter to myself, dated 3rd January 1884, from Brussels, he
enters into some detail on matters that had been forgotten or were
insufficiently appreciated, to which the reported appointment of
Zebehr to proceed to the Soudan and stem the Mahdi's advance lent
special interest:--

"I send you a small note which you can make use of, but I beg you
will not let my name appear under any circumstances. When in
London I had printed a pamphlet in Arabic, with all the papers
(official) concerning Zebehr Pasha and his action in pushing his
son to rebel. It is in Arabic. My brother has it. It is not long,
and would repay translating and publishing. It has all the
history and the authentic letters found in the divan of Zebehr's
son when Gessi took his stockade. It is in a cover, blue and
gold. It was my address to people of Soudan--Apologia. Isaiah
XIX. 19, 20, 21 has a wonderful prophecy about Egypt and the
saviour who will come from the frontier."

The note enclosed was published in _The Times_ of 5th January, and
read as follows:--

"A correspondent writes that it may seem inexplicable why the
Mahdi's troops attacked Gezireh, which, as its name signifies, is
an isle near Berber, but there is an old tradition that the
future ruler of the Soudan will be from that isle. Zebehr Rahama
knew this, but he fell on leaving his boat at this isle, and so,
though the Soudan people looked on him as a likely saviour, this
omen shook their confidence in him. He was then on his way to
Cairo after swearing his people to rebel (if he was retained
there), under a tree at Shaka. Zebehr will most probably be taken
prisoner by the Mahdi, and will then take the command of the
Mahdi's forces. The peoples of the Soudan are very superstitious,
and the fall of the flag by a gust of wind, on the proclamation
of Tewfik at Khartoum, was looked on as an omen of the end of
Mehemet Ali's dynasty. There is an old