The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-12

sent home to England for help. He told her
Majesty's government that he knew where he
was, and there was no trouble in finding him.
He was in Khartoum, little Arabian village,
some 800 miles up the Nile and 500 or 600 miles
west of the Red Sea. In order to find him the
aid must 60 to Cairo, and embark in boats up
the Nile When they had got along ], 200 miles
or so they could call and inquire of the natives.
and they would give full particulars He also
intmated that Ell Mahdi was outside the city,
and trying to get in. Gen. Gordon said he should
endeavor to keep the Mahdi outside but he was
getting hungry, and wanted supply of British
beef
The Marquis of Harrington, the chief of the
War Office, sent word to Lieutenant general
Stephenson, commandant of the Egyptian
forces, and told him that England was going to
reinforce General Gordon by the way of Cairo
with $1,000 or 90, 600 troops, under command of
the gallant Lord Wolseley He gave General
Stephenson Lord Wolseley's plan of going up
the Nile in small boats, and asked tho COM
mander what he thought of it. General Ste
phenson had been in Egypt for some time, and
knew the character Of the Nile beyond the Wady
Halfa, or second cataract. So he promptly
wired back this reply: ''Small boats proposed
not suitable. Can procure a large amount of
water transport locally"
OF conrse this was grave breach of discip-
line. Here the Marquis of Harrington and
Lord Wolseley had been and made up plan OF
the whole thing over a London dinner, and Gen
eral Stephenson had no right to say the plans
were mot suitable" The Egyptians were
poor savages and Great Britain was the
strongest military power on earth few
thousand English troops would go out there and
w up fho with fhap1 was RI ho a
big excursion, and the government would foot
the bills. The Nile was broad, sluggish river,
and take a lot of brawny men out there in small
boats and they would have grand boat race all
the way. The idea Of a fortnights regatta. to
wind up with fight and victory, was enough
to fire the soul of every Englishman, and Col
onel Burnaby and all the sporting men went en-
masse. General Wolseley was placed in COM
mand of Egypt and the Soudan," and General
Stephenson was in perpetual disgrace. My lord
of the War Office felt so sure of the grand sue
cess of his scheme that he thought he would
give the boys few words of caution at starting
so he said: go as far as may be necessary to
get General Gordon and Colonel Stewart Get
them and bring them back He knew the met
tie of the men, and he was afraid they might
conquer all of Africa if he didn't put a check on
them.
The troops were at once sent to Cairo and
General Wolseley took command and began to
start off the excursion. He arrived at the sec
ond cataract October s. 1884, and the small boats
began to depart for the long race Khartoum
was only 700 miles away and by Christmas Cor
don would be rescued, the Mahdi captured, and
the boys would be the home stretch
Up the river 300 miles further is Dongola
Thither General Wolseey and few of his staff
who did not like aquatic sports went, and waited
for the regatta to arrive November 20 the first
boat had not come, and half of them were not in
six days later. 1t was December 8 before my
lord had men enough to advance on Khartoun.
Then about 1000 men were sent on to Gadku
of ppf yaFt
He arrived there after terrible march of
ninety seven miles through the desert. Soon
after General Earle was sent up the river to gain
another point at Berber, on the left Men con-
tinuing to come in, another detachment of s. 900,
under gallant Colonel Burnaby, was sent across
the desert to relieve General Stewart at Gadkul
While the mon were struggling on through
binding sand aud unknown deserts, they were
attacked near Abu- klea Wells, Jan. 90 and
Colonel Burnaby and many of his command were
killed This materially checked their triumphant
march on Khartoum, and General Wolseley
concluded to wait for the taiend of the boat
race to get In before making any more con-
quests
In the meanwhile the Mahdi had been getting
IN his work IN very proper way, considering his
ignorance of the arts of war. He detailed few
thousand men under Osman Digna to 20 down
the Nile and make it lively for the red coats as
they came up, while he devoted himself to TAX
ing care of Chinese Gordon and Khartoum The
first blow was at Colonel Stewart, who perished
al AheHdWan, Ine IaLLer part or september,
leaving only General Gordon to engage his saw
age mind. Gradually he closed in on Khartoum.
He cut off the supplies aud captured the nhab
itants, he intercepted messengers and learned
how things were going on inside the place. and
then allowed them to depart again and finally
when he was good and ready he swooped
down on the miserable city and its starving in
mates, and Chinese Gordon and his men were
prisoners, and Lord Wolseley and his were only
a few days march away -
This event puts an entirely new look on the
Egyptian question. Lord Wolseley had been
sent out to rescue General Gordon and Colonel
Stewart, and El Mahdi got one and death laid
hands on the other before he came The Mahdi
can now retreat into the wilderness of the upper
Milo and dictate his terms to England If he
displays his usual sagacity he will not neglect
the opportunity. Leave the English around
Khartoum and famine will soon make them
glad to get out at any terms. The efforts
which Lord Wolseley made to rescue Gordon
can now be devoted to caring for himself and
his companions.
While these things are going on in the interior
General Stephenson and his friends may be hay
ing little fun all to themselves about the
Marquis of Hartington's new scheme for navi
eating the Nile by small boats. 1t is cruel but
humanity will act so occasionally and
Lieutenant general is only human being after
all -.
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