, but a wisp of steam
above the funnels of the redoubtable gunboats showed that all was ready.

At length in a fortunate hour Marchand returned, reproved his
subordinate, and expressed his regrets to Colonel Jackson. Then it
became known that the French Government had ordered the evacuation of
Fashoda. Some weeks were spent in making preparations for the journey,
but at length the day of departure arrived. At 8.20 on the morning
of the 11th of December the French lowered their flag with salute and
flourish of bugle. The British officers, who remained in their own camp
and did not obtrude themselves, were distant but interested spectators.
On the flag ceasing to fly, a sous-officier rushed up to the flagstaff
and hurled it to the ground, shaking his fists and tearing his hair in
a bitterness and vexation from which it is impossible to withhold
sympathy, in view of what these men had suffered uselessly and what they
had done. The French then embarked, and at 9.30 steamed southward, the
Faidherbe towing one oblong steel barge and one old steel boat, the
other three boats sailing, all full of men. As the little flotilla
passed the Egyptian camp a guard of honour of the XIth Soudanese
saluted them and the band struck up their national anthem. The French
acknowledged the compliment by dipping their flag, and in return the
British and Egyptian flags were also lowered. The boats then continued
their journey until they had rounded the bend of the river, when
they came to land, and, honour being duly satisfied, Marchand and his
officers returned to breakfast with Colonel Jackson. The meeting was
very friendly. Jackson and Germain exchanged most elaborate compliments,
and the commandant, in the name of the XIth Soudanese, presented the
expedition with the banner of the Emir who had attacked them, which had
been captured at Reng. Marchand shook hands all round, and the British
officers bade their gallant opponents a final farewell.

Once again the eight Frenchmen, who had come so far and accomplished so
much, set out upon their travels, to make a safe though tedious journey
through Abyssinia to the coast, and thence home to the country they
had served faithfully and well, and which was not unmindful of their
services.

Let us settle the international aspect of the reconquest of the Soudan
while we are in the way with it. The disputes between France and England
about the valley of the Upper Nile were terminated, as far as material