The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-10-04
Is Gen. Gordon Alive!


Col. q. Chaille Long, the African traveller, made
some very interesting statements to New York
Times representative the other day concerning Gen
toum, and is still living Col Chaiile says he first
met Gordon In 1914 In Cairo. "GOrdOn was then on
ms way to the Soudan to assume his post of Gov
ernor General OF the Equatorial Provinces. He APP
pointed me chief Of his stan this expedition. lie
liked Americans and preferred them TO English OIL.
80 likely TO cause him unpleasautness and trouble al
home. Gordon, with his simple and childllke dispo-
any Interference on the part OF the home govern
men,, and he dlsliked red tapesm more than
anything else He was sure not TO- have any trouble
Gordon TO go TO the Soudan In 1914 moved him
again to return there In ISL There was, or rather
there Is, for do not believe that he Is dead much of
the Moslem character in Gordon's disposition. His
AMBITIOUS soul Is consumed by burning thirst for
powerIabsolnie, unlimited, uncontrolled power.
When he went to the SOutan In 1874 lie went there
with the Idea OF making himself eventually the King
the Fdti of the Black Country 1 assure you
take and divide the provinces for ourselves, claim
Ing that they ought not TO belong to Egypt, orto
such solution of the Eastern question would have
been welcome to the English government. Gordon
ied me to believe that the idea was favorably enter
famed by the home authorities And did not Lord
Dufferin himself suggest at the time when Gordon
prepared for his second expedition that Egypt should
abandon the Soudan that Gordon should fake with
him c40,000; that 100000 more should be sent to
him aiterward wherewith to purchase the submis-
sion of The Mahdi, who was TO he tho Nutir OF Kor-
dofan under the Gordonian empre9 Perhaps it was
Lord Dufierin's dream that tho Soudan might he
made an African India, and Gordon was to be War
rem Hastings and Give of the new empire. But he
Would not nave been satisfied with that; his ambi-
tion went higher"
Gorion, declares publicly that he does not believe
that Gordon is dead. What is your opinion on that
point, Col Long 2"
81 fully coincide with Burton's views, and have
expressed inc same long ago Yon Will have noticed
that no two Of me many reports of his death agree
He 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 read
Ing the Bible; he was shot while standing sword in
hand on the walls OF the citadel; he was shot stand
Ing on the roof OF the palace looking through his field
the many accounts OF his death. The same confusion
exists IN the reports about what became OF his body
after his death We have been told that this head
was sent to the Mahdi, that II was stuck lance
and planted on the wal! OF the citadel; that his body
was dragged naked through tho streets, frightfully
INITIATED, until II was hacked into incognisable
mass OF flesh. What faith can you put IN any such
contradictory stories? From my knowledge OF Arab
methods Gor!lons head, or some unmlsakablc evil
dencc OF his death, would have been sent to the near
est English post. Nothing would have given the
Madi greater satisfaction than this terrible proof OF
his triumph. do not believe that Gordon is dead,
but that he escaped with many of his followers as
nc conld save when he saw that further resistance
English ofiicer-by W0lselcy would have been ter
rble blow to his vanity. He ied more from Sir
Garnet Wolseley than from certain death. He felt
That II would he better to die in trying to escape
than to be rescued That, am sure, was GOrdon's
sentiment. He had eight steamers at his disposal.
rout VI tuVsc HC Huu picNiuusly tcHL uOWH 10 ME-
temnch, and firmly believe that he took the other
four with as many men, and as much provisions and
TO GondocOra. Once out OF the reach OF Klart0um
he could escape with perfect safety. Having ar
rived Gondocora, which IL 1900 miles south of Khar-
toum, Heaven only knows what he may do there. II
would be a truly G0rdonian coup de theatre 10 or
ganze force there, where he is well known and he
loved by many, and move again northwards to the
rear OF the invading Mahdi. Or he may turn to-
ward the Congo until he reaches Nyangwe, one Of
would lead him through the country of the friendly
King Mise, whom lr. Stanley converted to Chris
tianiy, and who would give him every assistance.
Once In Nyangwe, he could assume the functions
which the King OF tho Belgians, as the head OF the
Is still third COURSE open to him. lie may push
eastward from GOndocora. and without great dllilcul-
ties, by the road which ] have opened, reach the
coast. 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 cscanesn