e final arrangements with the camel-owners, and at
the same time he begged them to remove their arms, as the Arabs might
get alarmed and make difficulties about hiring their camels. An
artillery captain who was with Stewart begged him not to let go his
arms, as there might be treachery; but Stewart laughed at his fears, and
he, with the two consuls and the interpreter, entered the house, while
the others remained outside; they still retained their revolvers.
Suleiman begged them to be seated, and proceeded to present to them a
number of Arabs, who, he asserted, were the camel-owners.

The traitor had dates brought to them, and, so as not to offend him,
they took some. Then Suleiman stood up and lifted his leather
water-bottle, which was the prearranged signal for the Arabs to rush out
of their hiding-places and attack the guests. In a second the house was
full of armed men, who called upon them to throw down their revolvers
and submit; but before they had even time to do this, the Arabs rushed
upon them with their swords. Consul Herbin, who was standing near the
door, was the first to fall; his head was chopped off with an axe.
Consul Power and Colonel Stewart were soon cut to pieces. The
interpreter, Hassan, begged to be spared, crying out, "I am a Moslem! I
am a Moslem, and my name is Hassan!" So he was not killed, but received
a wound in the shoulder. The murderers then rushed off to the river bank
to attack the others, who were soon killed, except two artillerymen, who
jumped into the river, and a few servants. It was said that the
interpreter, Hassan, had arranged the betrayal, and I was afterwards
told that when he got into difficulties later, he sent a petition to
Mohammed el Kheir, in which he said that he was entitled to reward for
having secured Colonel Stewart's death. He is still living in Omdurman.

Suleiman sent all the correspondence he captured to the Mahdi, who thus
became thoroughly aware of Gordon's desperate condition. On the 22nd of
October he wrote to Gordon, informing him of the event, and summoned him
to submit, as he had no hope of receiving any relief.

This catastrophe was another terrible blow to Gordon. He had counted on
Stewart being able to inform the Government of the straits to which
Khartum was reduced, and the necessity of sending immediate help. The
state of Khartum now became very serious. Nejumi and the other forces
were clustering round Kalakala; there was daily fighting, and bull