The Cecil Whig., 1885-06-13
A BIT OF GORDON'S LIFE.
How Egypt Once Sought a Territory
which Germany has Just Seized.
Unpublished Letters from the "King of the
Soudan''-Why Gordon Planned the
Indian Ocean Expedition, and
How 1t Failed.

be cat the gates of Herat," it is signifi-
cant to note that Germany, in pursuance
OF policy of expansion, as avowed by
Prince Bismarck, has raised her standard
on the Gold Coast of Africa and assumed
a protectorate at Zanzibar.
DR.. Rohlfs has formally notified the
Sultan that the . 900 square miles of ter
ritory acquired in his dominions by the
German Colonization Society have been
placed under German protection and that
he has been appointed German Consular
Judge at that territory. The Sultan pre-
tested, and, appealing to the Powers, is
reported as having said that he wished
to continue "his trust in God and Great
Britain"
The situation recalls protest made by
the Sultan of Zauzibar in 1919, when he
appealed to Great Britain to save him
from the histile attentions of his cousin,
the Khedive Of Egypt.
On the 10Th of September OF that yeal
an expedition sailed from Sucz, under
command of the writer, then an officer
in the Egyptian service. Admiral Nc
killop, a gallant and experienced officer,
formerly of the British Navy, was to he
assigned the chief commander on the
coast. On the 10th of October the ex-
peditionary fleet entered the port of Kis-
mayn, fifteen miles south of the Equa-
tor on the Indian ocean. The armee &c
terre consistrd OF 500 men, which was
raised to 1000 by reinforcements. The
instructions of the separate cammard-
ants conveyed through me to McKillop
verbally were to obtain footing on the
Juba river (fifteen miles north), "peace-
ably if you can, forcibly if you must"
at hismayu we were confronted by a
fort garrisoned by 400 Zanzibar soldiers
| and $50 or more native Somali spearmen.
A landing was effected without accident,
notwithstanding their threatening atti-
tude. Sultan Hamet sent us word to be
off or he would let 60 his dogs of war.
The latter consisted of seven 12-pound-
ers of very ancient pattern, taken, it is
| significant to relate, from a Dutch brig
wrecked on the coast several years ago.
HOW AN IMPORTANT EXPEDITION FAILEr.
Kismayu, situated in the arc described
by the land-locked harbor, is collection
| of huts. The inhabitants are the Somali
tribes, and their distinction in color and
intelligence from the negro, of whom
there are many, is due doubtless to the
Arab irruption on the coast in the fif
teenth century. Kismayu is great
lave.trading post, in proof of which,
and Notwithstanding the pompous proc.
lamation of Said Bargash announcing
the abolition of the slave trade, we cap.
tured, in addition to the garrison, 40C
slaves in their possession.
Mark the difference in the ways ol
governments! When the paroled soldiers
made their way to Zanzibar and told O
the horrible things which had happened
and of their valorous resistance, Sir Johr
Kirk, then plain DR.. Kirk, telegraphet
from Alden to Lord Derby.
'The Egyptian pirates are in the land
have taken my army, cannon and coun
try. Come to my aid"
To which Lord Derby replied by send
ing severe note to the Khedive which
obliged us later to ''scuttle away" from
Zanzibar. For this service DR.. Kirk wa
made knight, while poor McKillop ant
myself were compelled to bear the ouu
of Ismail's excuse, "that the capture 0
Kismayu was due to an excess Of zeal Of
the part of the young commander cf th
expedition"
~Bargash bin Said. the Sultan of Zanzi
bar, is of mixed Arab and Abyssinia
blood, his mother being of the latte
country. Said is united, not to say maj
} ried, TO hundred or more wives; some
times more, sometimes less. l met hir
few weeks prior to the sailing of tn
expedition at the Hotel du Louvre i
: / ais, "uOH dS uCiHS lClCu anu Va
F ressed. A few weeks later, and Will
the Sultan was being sumptuously rt
ceived as guest at the palace of kasl
ell Noussa, by Ismail, McKillop and my
self were making all sail toward the Ii
dian ocean.
, AN INCIDENT IN TIE wILDs OF AFRICA
1t has been said that "fact is oftime
stranger than felton," but then this
not strange in a land where the une.
pected is most likely to happen. On
night after l established my headqual
, ters at station called Juba, siztee
miles in the interior, on the Juba rive
: there was sharp challenge of the sci
l try and in a few minutes the officer {
l the guard conducted stranger befoI
me, followed by numerous attendant
Clad in gorgeously embroidered, var
colored silken raiment, his apparition
in our midst was quite startling. To ad
to my astonishment, he advanced, seize
j, my hand, and pressing it to his lips sal
in very good French: 81 am Ali, Primo
Of Johannes, brother to Abdallah, I'll
Sultan Kinfi of the Johanna, Commort
or Hinzouan Islands. The Grand Nizit
is my enemy; we quarrelled, and wit
all the money and jewels l could g.
away with left the court, and, hearin
of you, have come to offer you the crow
of the Johannes so unworthyily worn b
my brother. Do you wish gold and pr
. oious stones? There are plenty in IL
island rich in mines. 1t is an earthl
paradise"
He told me that he had been sent |
his parents when a boy to London an
thence to Paris for instruction, and, r
turning to his home, he was regarde
with suspicion by the Nizier and eve
his brother, who had come to treat hi
. as a dangerous rival. In the mornir
= l caused my command, consisting then
1000 men. to be massed in the plain b
low. AS they marched in review to tt
strains of the Khedivial hymn, the
= arms glistening in the morning sun, A
:. could scarcely contain himself, an
: : kneeling at my feet, said: "Accept,
Bey, the Government of the Johanne
! for with a hundred only Of such sold;e
you can take without blow the islam,
l offer YOU" My officers were veI
eager to have me accept the Tempt,
oHar but tho pature Of tho mission