The Dead.

That afternoon, Gregory heard that orders had been issued for five of
the gunboats to start up the river, the first thing in the morning;
that the Sirdar himself was going, and was to take up five hundred men
of the 11th Soudanese. An order was also issued that all correspondents
were to leave, the next day, for Cairo. Gregory had met one of them,
that evening.

"So you are all off, I hear, Mr. Pearson?"

"Yes; we did have a sort of option given us, but it was really no
choice at all. We might go down instantly, or we must stay till the
last of the white troops had gone down. That may be a very long time,
as there is no saying what may come of this Fashoda business. Besides,
the Khalifa has fairly escaped; and if, out of the sixty thousand men
with him, some thirty thousand got off, they may yet rally round him:
and, in another two or three months, he may be at the head of as large
a force as ever. I don't think, after the way the Egyptians fought the
other day, there will be any need for white troops to back them. Still,
it is likely that a battalion or two may be left. However, we had
practically to choose between going at once, or waiting at least a
month; and you may be sure that the censorship would be put on, with a
round turn, and that we should not be allowed to say a word of the
Fashoda business, which would be the only thing worth telegraphing
about. So we have all voted for going.

"Of course, we understand that this pressure has been put upon us, on
account of this curious affair at Fashoda. Fortunately, none of us are
sorry to be off. There is certain to be a pause, now, for some time;
and one does not want to be kicking one's heels about, in this ghastly
town; and though it is rather sharp and peremptory work, I cannot say
that I think the Sirdar is wrong. Whoever these men may be, they must
go, that is certain; but of course it will be a somewhat delicate
business, and France--that is, if they are Frenchmen who are there--is
sure to be immensely sore over the business; and it is certainly very
desirable that nothing should be written, from here, that could
increase that feeling. I have no doubt the Sirdar telegraphed home, for
instructions, as soon as he got the news of the affair; and I imagine
that his going up in the morning, with five gunboats, is proof that he
has already received instructions of some sort.

"I hope this force is not French. The feeling against us is
tremendously s