ce.
There shall be no more Bashi-Bazouks.' It is now believed that he
will relieve the Bahr-Gazelle garrisons without firing a shot.
Since they heard that he was coming the aspect of the people has so
changed that there are no longer any fears of disturbance in the
town. They say that he is giving them more than even the Mahdi
could give. He is sending out proclamations in all directions. Such
is the influence of one man, that there are no longer any fears for
the garrison or people of Khartoum."

General Gordon immediately reduced the taxation of the people by one
half, and directed Colonel Stewart to examine into the case of each
person in prison. It was found that some prisoners had been awaiting
trial for months and some even for years, one poor woman having been
detained for fifteen years for a paltry offence committed when a child.
As many as possible were released, only the worst cases being detained.
One poor old Sheikh had to be carried into Gordon's presence, the
ex-governor of Khartoum having bastinadoed him so severely on the feet
that the flesh had all gone, and only the sinews and bones were
showing. Gordon was so indignant at this that he telegraphed to Cairo
to have L50 stopped out of the pay of Hussein Pasha Cheri, and handed
to his victim by way of compensation for such brutal treatment. He had
a collection made of kourbashes and other instruments of torture, and
had them all destroyed in a bonfire.

Writing on February 22nd, Gordon says:--

"I have all my old servants back, and it is like old times again. I
have not minced matters with the Pashas; it was useless to do so.
We have thousands of petitions daily. I have ordered an Arabic
text, 'God rules the hearts of all men,' to be put up over my
throne, to which I can refer when people come to me in fear....
There is, of course, a very mixed sort of feeling here about the
evacuation of the Soudan; the civil employes do not desire it, for
the half taxes will cause their pay to be diminished by half, and
the _personnel_ reduced."

From Mr. Power's interesting correspondence we get pleasant little
peeps at the private life of the great hero:--

"Gordon is a most lovable character--quiet, mild, gentle and
strong; he is so humble too. The way he pats you on the shoulder
when he says, 'Look here, dear fellow, now what would you advise?'
would make you love him. When he