Remember that this was when the last telegram[195] from Egerton was to the effect that “Her Majesty’s Government would pay on delivery for all who came down, if I contracted with Arabs.” Stewart’s idea was that every order of Her Majesty’s Government, or wish that they expressed, was indisputable. We often discussed the nuisance we must have been to Her Majesty’s Government in being sent up here, and I think he was, to some degree, actuated by a desire to aid Her Majesty’s Government when he went down, for then it only left one nuisance (myself), and I had so completely exonerated Her Majesty’s Government by my letters, and the notes in his journal, that they might, as far as I was concerned, have let the garrison fall. On my part, I do not think I could have done Her Majesty’s Government a better service than to have, at any rate, tried to send Stewart down with Power and Herbin, for certainly it only left a small remnant here of Europeans (one of whom is mad), and the French government could no longer say a word. Next, Stewart knew everything, and could tell Her Majesty’s Government the pros and cons, from their point of view, and with feelings akin to theirs, which they would accept from Stewart, and never without suspicion from me (in which they are justified, for I do not look on things from their point of view). I told Stewart also, “I know you will act conscientiously and honourably; but I know your opinions, and, therefore, as you have all my views on the Soudan in your journal, I beg you will, in answering queries of Her Majesty’s Government, make extracts from the journal, and state ‘General G. says this, or that,’ while you are at full liberty to give your opinion, even if it differs from mine, but let Her Majesty’s Government know when I answer and when you answer.” Stewart, the night he left, wrote at my dictation a series of questions, which I answered on half-margin of the same paper, and in which I said, “If Her Majesty’s Government have not acted up to time when you get down, then it is too late, and it is no use doing anything.”
A curious thing has happened; my friend Kitchener sent up the post; he wrapped the letters in some old newspapers (he gave me no news in his letter), the old newspapers were thrown out in the garden: there a clerk who knew some English found them blowing about, and gave them to the apothecary of the hospital, who knows English. The doctor found him reading them, saw date 15th September, and secured them for me; they are like gold, as you may imagine, since we have had no news since 24th February, 1884!
These papers gave us far more information than any of your letters. Did K. send them by accident or on purpose? Abyssinian ambassadors in London, Walmer Castle, &c.; my black troops beating back Ras Aloula at Keren, not recognizing the Hewitt Treaty, and killing 194 of the Abyssinians, at Keren, vide Standard, 1 and 15 September. Lord Wolseley seen off at Victoria Station, for the Gordon relief expedition!! NO! for the relief of Soudan garrisons. Khedive expressing delight at seeing Lord N., while during the audience the Khedive displayed great cordiality towards Lord N. Abdel Kader saying you would have four hard fights. I do not believe it.[196]
It appears that these newspapers were chucked out of the Palace; but that a man saw the papers were thrown out, and said to the cavass, “Give me those papers to wrap up tobacco.” The cavass gave them, and the doctor’s assistant going to the shop saw them, and seeing the date, took them, and then the doctor got them.
I think that the defeat of Ras Aloula, at Keren, if true, is splendid; when the Abyssinian Ambassadors were being entertained at Walmer Castle. The Hewitt Treaty, instead of aiding us, appears only to have added to our enemies.
It does seem wonderful if Her Majesty’s Government have made a treaty with King John to give over Bogos, i.e. Keren, i.e. Senheit, to him (with other places), that orders were not sent to the fortress to evacuate; but if the papers we secured are true, that Ras Aloula was beaten back, it is evident no such orders were given. What an extraordinary state of affairs! Mitzakis, in his letter to Greek Consul here of date 25th of August, says, that possession will be taken of Keren (i.e. Senheit, i.e. Bogos) at once, and then we have the telegram from Massowa that Ras Aloula has attacked Keren, and lost heavily (vide the Standard of 1st September). By these papers, miraculously secured, I see we have made Minister of Interior Abdel Kader Pasha; according to all accounts up here, he is “Abdel Kader and the Forty Thieves in one.”[197]
November 6.—Three horsemen and four footmen (Arabs) came opposite Bourré to-day on right bank of the Nile, and fired a few shots, and went off on our firing two shots from Krupp. Also, the Arabs came down with their guns to the White Nile end of Lines, and fired on the Santals. A soldier of ours came in from Sheikh el Obeyed with his wife and child; he says Sheikh el Obeyed died four days ago (to the great relief of Sanderson), now we have only the city to deal with. Two more soldiers came in from Arabs at Omdurman. The Arabs fired seven rounds from their guns on the Lines near the White Nile. A post was captured by Sheikh el Obeyed (with European letters, coming from Kassala) just before his death; the porter of these letters was killed.
I expect that the naming of the expedition the Gordon Relief Expedition is because the fiction “that Her Majesty s Government has no responsibility towards the Soudan and its garrisons” is going to be held to, and that the object of the expedition thus named, will be considered as accomplished, if Kartoum is reached; but in that case, how can the sending up Stewart and me be explained? It was certainly because our Government thought they were responsible that we were sent; also if Her Majesty’s Government has no responsibility, why did the troops attack Osman Digma, and relieve Tokar?[198]
The Sheikh el Obeyed’s death will be a heavy blow to the Arabs, for his following will no longer hold together.
Another soldier, with his wife, has come in at Omdurman.