, and one who looks on death
as a release from misery; and if you cannot find him, then leave
me alone. To carry myself is enough for me; I want no other
baggage."

Gordon's troubles were not only with English visionaries. The Egyptian
officials had always regarded the delegation of supreme powers to him
with dislike, and this sentiment became unqualified apprehension when
they saw how resolute he was in exercising them. Ismail Pasha was
disposed to place unlimited trust in his energetic Governor-General,
but he could not but be somewhat influenced by those around him while
Gordon was far away. When, therefore, Gordon took into his own hands
the power of life and death, and sentenced men to be hanged and shot,
he roused that opposition to the highest point of activity, and
received repeated remonstrances by telegraph from Cairo. To these he
replied firmly, but quietly, that on no other condition could the
administration be carried on, and that his authority as Viceroy would
be undermined if he could not dispense prompt justice. Notwithstanding
all his representations, he never obtained the ratification of his
right to pass death sentences; but with that strong will that he
showed in every crisis, he announced his determination to act on his
own responsibility. On at least two occasions he expresses a feeling
of gratification at having caused murderers to be hung.

This is a suitable moment to lay stress on the true views Gordon held
on the subject of bloodshed. While averse to all warfare by
disposition, and without the smallest trace of what might be called
the military spirit, General Gordon had none of that timid and
unreasoning shrinking from taking life, which is often cruel and
always cowardly. He punished the guilty without the least false
compunction, even with a death sentence, and if necessity left no
choice, he would have executed that sentence himself, provided he was
quite convinced of its justice. As a rule, he went unarmed in the
Soudan, as in China; but there were exceptions, and on at least one
occasion he took an active and decisive part in a conflict. He was
being attacked by one of the tribes, and his men were firing wildly
and without result. Then Gordon snatched a rifle from one of his men,
and firing at the hostile leader, killed him. There are at least two
other incidents that will show him in a light that many of his
admirers would keep suppressed, but that bring out his human n