Turkish colleagues were always quarrelling, and Gordon had to play the
part of peacemaker--for which, he said, "I am naturally not well
adapted"--an admission that may be commended to those who think that
Gordon was a meek and colourless individual, with more affinity to a
Methodist parson than the dauntless and resolute soldier he really
was.

Early in October the whole delimitation was concluded, and without a
hitch, much to Gordon's satisfaction. By 17th November he had reached
Constantinople on his way home, but notwithstanding the special
hardships of his work and his long absence from England, with one
brief interval, he was still anxious for work and action. In the
closing letter of his correspondence he said: "I do not feel at all
inclined to settle in England and be employed in any sedentary way,
and shall try and get employed here (Constantinople) if it is
possible."

While these letters contain a very vivid account of the striking and
remarkable events that occurred during the long military and
diplomatic struggle with Russia, they are not less interesting or
important for the many unconscious glimpses Gordon gives into his own
character. In them may be found references to habits and things which
show that the young officer was a sportsman, and by no means
indifferent to creature comforts; and as the most careful search
through all his later writings of every kind will bring no similar
discovery, these acquire a special importance as showing that the
original Gordon only differed from his comrades in being more earnest,
more active, and more enthusiastic. I take at random such statements
as "Our feeding is pretty good, but the drinking is not," "The
Russians gave a spread [vulgar] on Saturday, noisily and badly got up.
Their wine was simply execrable," and "How I wish I could get some
partridge shooting! My bag up to the present (on the Danube) is
200--not bad! eh?" Then again, on a more delicate subject, there are
numerous references to ladies, and to his appreciation of beauty. In a
chaffing passage in one of his letters, he wrote that one of his
sisters "wants me to bring home a Russian wife, I think; but I am sure
you would not admire the Russian ladies I have seen." Again, the
ladies of the Caucasus are pronounced "very pretty," and "the
Gourelians are beautiful--in fact, I never saw so many handsome women
as the peasants among them." At this time Gordon was certainly not a
misogynist, but I am assure