Gordon’s reasons for undertaking his present expedition were to help Gessi, to prevent partisans of Zubeir in Kordofan sending aid to the slave dealers, to cut off runaways, and to hinder Zubeir’s bands breaking into Darfur and joining Harûn. At the end of March he went to Edowa (Eddaiya), from which station Subahi with 400 men was only four days distant. Many captures of slave caravans now took place, the total number captured since June, 1878, being 63. Shakka was reached on 7th April, where a message was received from Gessi, asking for more troops and ammunition. Gordon now decided that it would be prudent to reinstate the Sultan’s family in Darfur, in the person of the son of Sultan Ibrahim, and telegraphed to the Khedive to send him down, as at that time he was kept at Cairo. In December, 1877, Gordon had found, imprisoned at Suakin, an ex-Vizier of Darfur; he had liberated him and sent him back to the province. Now he appointed him regent until the son of the deceased Sultan arrived from Cairo, and wrote to Harûn pointing out the uselessness of his further opposition, and inviting him to come in and assist to establish the new Sultan. In a letter written at this time he makes the following observation:—“If the liberation of slaves takes place in 1884 [in Egypt proper], and the present system of government goes on, there cannot fail to be a revolt of the whole country. . . . It is rather amusing to think that the people of Cairo are quite oblivious that in 1884 their revenue will fall to one-half, and that the country will need more troops to keep it quiet. Seven-eighths of the population of the Sudan are slaves, and the loss of revenue in 1889 (the date fixed for the liberation of the slaves in Egypt’s outlying territories) will be more than two-thirds, if it is ever carried out.”
SUDANESE MAIDEN.
Gordon, leaving Shakka in April, went by Kalaka, Dara, El Fasher, to Kolkol, which he reached on 26th May; here he relieved the garrison, and returned to El Fasher. At the latter place he heard from Gessi of the capture of Suleiman’s stronghold, and was about to start for Khartoum, when learning that a force of Zubeir’s men was en route for Darfur, he returned to Taweisha, and, Gordon meets Gessi, June 25th, 1879.on June 25th, he met Gessi who informed him that the last of the rebel bands had been crushed. Leaving Gessi to follow up Suleiman, Gordon now left for Khartoum.
GESSI’S CAMPAIGN, 1878.
Revolt instigated by Zubeir, 1878.Before Zubeir had left for Cairo to push his claims to the Governorship of Darfur, he had made his officers swear that if, during his absence, he sent them word to conform to the arrangements he had made under a certain tree, then they were to revolt.[161] He accordingly did send them orders on finding that his claims were not attended to. The extent of the insurrection was much larger than generally supposed; the chief slave dealers had in their plans apportioned out the provinces of the Sudan among themselves, and even gave out that they would not stop short of Cairo. They were backed up by numerous Arab tribes, and were powerful enough to tax the whole strength of Egypt. It was from the Arabs that most of the slave hunters were drawn, and they looked with scorn and hatred on the Egyptian rule.
Colonel Gordon wrote:—“There is no doubt that if the Governments of France and England do not pay more attention to the Sudan—if they do not establish at Khartoum a branch of the mixed tribunals, and see that justice is done, the disruption of the Sudan from Cairo is only a question of time. This disruption, moreover, will not end the troubles, for the Sudanese, through their allies in Lower Egypt—the black soldiers, I mean—will carry on their efforts in Cairo itself. Now, these black soldiers are the only troops in the Egyptian service worth anything.”
July, 1878, expedition organised by Gessi.In July, 1878, Gordon, hearing that the son of Zubeir (Suleiman) had seized the province of Bahr El Ghazal, at once sent up an expedition commanded by Gessi.
Gessi started up the river, and on his way met with many slave nuggars, and even Government steamers, plying the slave trade under the eyes and with the connivance of the Egyptian Wakils. He first went to Shambe to collect reinforcements, and then struck off in the direction of Rumbek on the river Rohl. His march was greatly impeded by floods, and it was not till the first week in September that he reached the above-named place. Here he heard of the open revolt of Suleiman, who had surprised and massacred the troops at Deim Idris, and was laying the country waste in all directions. The Arabs now began to join Suleiman in large numbers, and his army soon numbered about 6,000 men, Gessi in the meantime had but 300 regulars, 2 guns, and 700 irregular troops; his communication with Khartoum was almost closed by the sudd in the river, which, moreover, together with the rains, caused the whole surrounding country to be flooded and made marching impossible. He accordingly fortified himself at Rumbek till November. He occupied the time in regenerating the province which he found labouring under gross abuses and a staff of corrupt officials.
November, 1879.He was at length able to leave Rumbek on the 17th November, and, after having met with some hostility from the natives on the River Jur, arrived at the Wau on 5th December, where he established a station. He found Suleiman had carried off upwards of 10,000 women and children, and the inhabitants about Wau were greatly incensed against the slave dealers. Having received reinforcements and been joined by a friendly Sheikh, Gessi marched for Deim Idris, which he reached about the middle of December. Suleiman attacks Gessi, 28th December, 1879.Suleiman was on his way towards Shakka, thinking himself protected by the floods from an attack from the south, but hearing of Gessi’s arrival at Rumbek he at once turned to attack him with 10,000 men. The attack took place on the 28th December, but was repulsed with great loss after severe fighting. Second attack, 12th January, 1879.On 12th January, 1879, Suleiman, having been reinforced, again assaulted Gessi’s post, and after two days’ heavy fighting was again driven back. Third attack, 28th and 29th January, 1879.Gessi in the meantime was running very short of ammunition, but in spite of this repulsed a third attack on the 28th and 29th of January. On 11th March, having received some ammunition, he attacked the stronghold of Suleiman, which was constructed of wooden huts and barricades made of trunks of trees. Having set fire to the whole by means of rockets he met and utterly routed the brigands as they sallied out, but had not sufficient ammunition to pursue them. By the beginning of February, Gessi had cleared off many of the slave dealers, and had liberated more than 10,000 of their captives; the result being that confidence was being rapidly restored, and the headmen of tribes were giving their allegiance to the Government.