s brought up to show where the
wealth was hidden. As there was none he could not reveal it, so he was
killed in the market-place at Omdurman. The Mahdi's troops massacred
4000 persons, and after they had been engaged for six hours in thus
wreaking their vengeance, the Mahdi sent over to stop them, and a
systematic method was adopted of searching for loot. As the Mahdi had
bribed his men by promises of untold wealth, and they were
disappointed, a large number deserted his cause, and afterwards
actually fought against him.

The most contradictory reports have been circulated as to the manner in
which General Gordon met his fate, and although it would be impossible
to allude to all, it may not be out of place to refer to one which has
been very widely accepted. It is to the effect that the General,
hearing that the city had been betrayed, put on his uniform and rushed
out, sword in hand, to die as a soldier. Narratives which have a
dramatic element are always easily accepted. Dramatic effect was,
however, the last thing our gallant hero thought of at any time, and
still less on such an occasion as this. As a matter of fact he had not
a stitch of uniform in Khartoum, and, considering his Chinese
experience, it is very unlikely that he would have drawn his sword,
even if he had possessed one, which he certainly did not. One person
who recognised Gordon after his death says that he was dressed in light
clothes. Colonel Kitchener quotes the only person who claimed to be an
eye-witness of his death, who says:--

"On hearing the noise, I got my master's donkey, and went with him
to the palace. Muhamed Bey Mustapha, with my master, Ibrahim Bey
Rushdi, and about twenty cavasses, then went with Gordon towards
the house of the Austrian Consul Hansall, near the church, when we
met some rebels in an open place near the outer gate of the palace.
Gordon Pasha was walking in front leading the party. The rebels
fired a volley, and Gordon was killed at once; nine of the
cavasses, Ibrahim Bey Rushdi, and Muhamed Bey Mustapha were killed;
the rest ran away."

Whether Gordon's death was intended by the Mahdi or was entirely an
accident is not known. Colonel Kitchener says that the Mahdi professed
to be very angry when he heard that Gordon was killed, but the Colonel
thinks that had he expressed himself strongly on the subject
beforehand, this calamity would never have taken place. This, however,
is very