Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-26

Buddhist not only The King, the Vai''
bat also the Prophet, the Mahdi OF TIE
equatorial country. This according
to my most sincere conviction, vas she
chief motor in Gordon's return TO Gem
trail Africa"
"Captain Richard Burton. an init
mate friend Of Gordon. declares pnb-
licly that he does not believe that Cor
don Is dead. What is your opinion on
that point. Colonel Long,"
"lfully coincide with Burton's views,
and have expressed the same long ago.
You will have noticed that no two OF
the many reports of his death agree.
lie was murdered in the streets on his
way to the residence OF the Austrian
Consul, SAYS one he was stabbed from
behind while sitting in his room read
ing the Bible he was shot while stand
Ing sword in hand on the walls OF the
citadel: he was shot standing on the
roof Of the palace looking through his
feld.glass at the approaching enemy.
These are some Of the many accounts
of his death. The same confusion
exists in the reports about what be-
came Of his body after his death. We
have been told that his head was sent
TO the Mahdi: that it was stuck on a
lance and planted on the wall oil the
citadel; that his body was dragged
naked through the streets, irightinlly
mutilated. until it was hacked into an
unrecognizablemass ofilesh. What faith
can you put in any such contradictory
stories? From my knowledge of Arab
methods, Gordon's head, or some unmls-
taxable evidence of his death, wouldhaye
been sent to the nearest English post.
Nothing would have given the Mahdi
greater satisfaction than this terrible
proof of his triumph. donot believe
that Gordon is dead, but that he es-
capped with as many of his followers as
he could save when he saw that further
resistance would be useless. The idea
Of being rescued by an English Of
iicer--by Wolseley-would have been
a terrible blow to his vanity. lie fled
more from Sir Garnet WolSeley than
from certain death. lie felt that it
would be better to die in trying
to escape than to be rescued.
That, am sure, was Gordon'S
sentiment. lie had eight steamers at
his disposal. Four of these he had pre-
viously sent down to Metemneh, and |
firmly believe that he took the other
four with as many men, and as much
provisions and ammunition rs he could
gather. and made his way to GondOc1-
IA. Once out Of the reach of khartOum
he could escape with perfect safety.
Having arrived in GOndocora. which IS
500 miles south of khartOum. Heaven
only knows what he may do there. IL
would be a truly Gordonian coup de
theatre to organize force there. where
he is well known and beloved by many,
and move again northwards to the
rear Of the invading Mahdi. Or he
may tuIn toward the Congo until he
reaches Nyangwe, one Of the eastern
stations Oh the great river. His march
would lead him through the country OF
the friendly King Mise, whom Mr..
Stanley converted to Christianity, and
who would give him every assistance.
Once in Nyangwe, he could assume the
functions which the King Of the Bel
gians. as the head of the Inter-
national Society, conferred upon
him. There is still a third course
open to him. He may push east
ward from Gondocora and without great
by the road which have
opened, reach the coast. A year may
elapse before we can hear from him.
will not give up for long time the
hope Of meeting and shaking hands
once more with this man Of miraculous
escapes"
"Have you any doubts about the
death Of the Mahdl, and would his de-
cease cause any marked change in the
progress Of the rebellion? b"
~ have no reason to doubt the re-
port Of the Prophets death. But
should it prove true it need not neceS-
sarily lead to the collapse Of the rebel.
lion. The great religious fraternities
of Sid Abd-el-kader Djilani, Of Sides
Senoussi, Of the ma-el-Azhar, which
have ramifcations through all Islam,
would furnish a prophet at short no.
tice. Arab Pachi was commanded to
become a prophet by the order Of one
of these brotherhoOds. When the time
arrives another Mahdi will come to take
the place Of Mohammed Achmed for
the conquest Of universal empire prom
ised to the faithful by the Koran. A
great convulsiOn seems to approach to
shake the condition of the entire Old
World. Egypt will play no minor part
in this great drama"