The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1884-05-15

I The Soudan Is O. ,e,m A..
geographically. 1t is vast territory
upon the Nile, and the provinces claim
ed by Egypt extond almost to tho equa-
tor. They havo annexed all that part
OF Asia Egypt has appeared before
the world as extending; civilization has
pushed it up to Khartoum and to Con-
dokore, and think quito to the Victoe
ria Nyanza, If not quito to the equator.
Tho annexation of Egypt included
not only tho Soudan in its proper sense
but Karfodan and Darfour. l know
very we'll q Colonel in New York, q
Colonel Prout, who was an American
officer in our war, who went out and
took service with the Khcdive, and was
sent up tho Milo and was under Cor
don. Ho said he was himself put in
command, by Gordon, of tho cquato-
rial provinces, which shows how far
they have extended their claims
Egypt's claim of breaking up the slave
trade and extending civilization is not
founded in truth. What sho did do was
to put over the country annexed q sot
OF Egyptian governors who were tho
curse of tho country.
These governors were mostly bad
characters; but there was one interval
of good government and that was
when they sent Chinese Gordon up tho
Nile to take charge and break up tho
slave trade. Our knowledge of this
great soldier was derived from this
| Colonel Prout, who was up thero for
three years.
Gordon soon saw tho terrible state
OF tho country, and how the people
wcro oppressed, and he immediately
sot to work to use his power to relieve
tho burdens of tho people, release thom
from oppression and to govern them
wisely and kindly. Tho Egyptian gov
ernment gavo him salary of $4,000
pcr year, but he gave it all away, do
ing everything for tho poor. In ono
sense ho ruled with rod of iron, and
enforced obedience, but he ruled with
such justice that ho acquired an almost
supernatural reputation. He is man
utterly ignorant of fear, and exposes
himself constantly. and the natives
haVo an idea that bullets can't hit him.
Ho has great executive ability and pow
ers of administration with his courage.
| With all this he is an extremely rclig-
ious man, and man of prayer, and all
his acts arc as if he was II man of God.
lie is perfectly capable of praying all
and going alone into the desert
| His mission is to restore order and
mako peace, and this he expcditcs by
displacing the Egyptian governors who
arc inimical to the people. AS under
| stand tho matter he intends to re-
store tho old Soudan governors instead
of the Egyptian governors, but he don't
| propose to give up Khartounl, but to
hold on to that.
have theory that to reach that
country permanently is from the Red
Sea, and think ultimately that there
will be railroad constructed from Su-
| AKIN to Berber. think the distance
across to tho Nile is about 24O or 25O
miles. Then at the crotch of tho Blue
and White Nile is Senna, a fertile coun-
try. If thoy had n railroad to Suakim,
there is no reason why England should
not got her grain supply from tho Red
Sea, as now from tho Black. In ten,
twenty or thirty years think thoro will
bo a railroad across. and that will set
tle this Eastern question.
= For the moment the whole future of
tho Soudan depends upon tho courage,
firmness and judgment of ono man
General Gordon. 1 look on Gordon as
tho hero of our century.
Tho Doctor has soon not fcw
changes in foreign government, and
was in Paris when the revolution of
t848 overthrow Louis Philippe, so ho
is careful observer of national move
| menta