"If a man do not erect in this age his own tomb e'er he dies, he shall
live no longer in monuments than the bell rings and his widow
weeps."--SHAKESPEARE.
A new chapter now opens in our story of Gordon. Sir Samuel Baker had
resigned the honoured position of Governor General of the Soudan. Gordon
was selected as the man who, of all others, was most suitable for such an
appointment. Our Government acquiesced in the Khedive's offer of this
post to Gordon, so he accepted the responsible position.
The Khedive offered him, it is stated, a salary 10,000 pounds per annum;
this, however, he refused to accept. He said "Your Majesty I cannot
accept it, as I should look upon it as the life's blood wrung out of
those poor people over whom you wish me to rule." "Name your own terms
then," said the Khedive. "Well," replied Gordon, "2,000 pounds per annum
I think will keep body and soul together, what should I require more than
this for." About the close of the year 1873 he left his country and
loved ones behind him, for that lone sad land, with its ancient history.
We think Gordon played such a part that his name will be honourably
associated with Egypt, and remembered from generation to generation.
I am indebted to the author of _Gordon in Central Africa_ for the
following abstract of the Khedive's final instructions to Col. Gordon,
dated Feb. 16th, 1874.
"The province which Colonel Gordon has undertaken to organise and to
govern is but little known. Up to the last few years, it had been in
the hands of adventurers who had thought of nothing but their own
lawless gains, and who had traded in ivory and slaves. They
established factories and governed them with armed men. The
neighbouring tribes were forced to traffic with them whether they
liked it or not. The Egyptian Government, in the hope of putting an
end to this inhuman trade had taken the factories into their own
hands, paying the owners an indemnification.
Some of these men, nevertheless, had been still allowed to carry on
trade in the district, under a promise that they would not deal in
slaves. They had been placed under the control of the Governor of the
Soudan. His authority, however, had scarcely been able to make itself
felt in these remote countries. The Khedive had resolved therefore to
form them into a separate government, and to claim as a monopoly of
the State, the whole of the trade with the outside world. There was
no other way of putting an end to the slave trade which at present was
carried on by force of arms in defiance of law. When once brigandage
had become a thing of the past, and when once a breach had been made
in the lawless customs of long ages, then trade might be made free to
all. If the men who had been in the pay of adventurers were willing
to enter the service of the Government, Col. Gordon was to make all
the use of them he could. If on the other hand they attempted to
follow their old course of life, whether openly or secretly, he was to
put in force against them to the utmost severity of martial law. Such
men as these must find in the Governor neither indulgence, nor mercy.
The lesson must be made clear even in those remote parts that a mere
difference of colour does not turn men into wares, and that life and
liberty are sacred things."
Another object of the new Governor should be to establish a line of posts
through all his provinces, so that from one end to the other they might
be brought into direct communication with Khartoum. Those posts should
follow, as far as was possible, the line of the Nile; but for a distance
of seventy miles the navigation of that river was hindered by rapids. He
was to search out the best way of overcoming this hindrance, and to make
a report thereon to the Khedive.
In dealing with the _Chieftains_ of the tribes which dwelt on the shores
of the lakes, the Governor was above all to try to win their confidence.
He must respect their territory, and conciliate them by presents, and
whatever influence he gains over them, he must use in the endeavour to
persuade them to put an end to the wars, which they so often make on each
other in the hope of carrying off slaves. Much tact would be needed, for
should he succeed in stopping the slave trade, while wars were still
waged among the chiefs, it might well come to pass that, for want of a
market, the prisoners would, in such a case, be slaughtered. Should he
find it needful to exercise a real control over any of these tribes, it
will be better to leave to the chieftains the direct government. Their
obedience must be secured by making them dread his power.
He made the journey to Khartoum without any mishap or serious difficulty,
reaching there in May, 1874, and was installed in office on the fifth. A
royal salute from the government house guns was fired in honour of this
event; the new Governor-General was, of course, expected to make a
speech, after the order of his predecessors. But all he said was, "With
the help of God I will hold the balance level." This was received with
the greatest enthusiasm, for it evidently pleased the people more than if
he had addressed them for an hour. His attention was soon directed
towards the poverty-stricken and helpless people all around him. He
caused special enquiries to be made; then he began to distribute his
gifts of charity to all who he believed were really in need; and in three
days he had given away one thousand pounds of his first year's salary. He
had not been long in the Soudan before he realized the tremendous
responsibilities he had assumed; and with all his strength of character,
and his trust in his Almighty, ever-present Friend, it is not to be
wondered at that when alone in the trackless desert, with the results of
ages of wrong-doing before him, this man of heroic action and indomitable
spirit sometimes gave way to depression and murmuring; although this was
exceedingly rare. If we remember what he had already done and suffered
for down-trodden humanity. And that now he was doing heroic work for the
true hero's wages--the love of Christ, and the good of his fellow-men. He
was labouring not for himself, but as the hand of God in providence, in
the faith that his work was of God's own appointing. The wonder is that
in the face of perils so dangerous, work so difficult, and sufferings so
intense, that his spirit was not completely crushed and broken. We must
bear in mind, his work there was to secure peace to a country that
appeared to be bent on war; to suppress slavery amongst a people to whom
it was a second nature, and to whom the trade in human flesh was life,
and honour, and fortune. To make and discipline an army out of the
rawest recruits ever put in the field, to develop and grow a flourishing
trade, and to obtain a fair revenue, amid the wildest anarchy in the
world; the immensity of the undertaking, the infinity of detail involved
in a single step toward this end, the countless odds to be faced; the
many pests, the deadly climate, the nightly and daily alternations of
overpowering heat, and of bitter cold, to be endured and overcome; the
environment of bestial savagery, and ruthless fanaticism;--all these
contributed to make the achievement unique in human history. He was face
to face with evil in its worst form, and saw it in all its appalling
effects upon the nation and its people. He seemed to have everything
against him, and to be utterly alone. There stood in front of him the
grim ruined land. He faced it, however, as a saint and soldier should
do; he stood for right, truth, and for God.
{Gordon on his favourite camel: p81.jpg}
"He would dare to do right. Dare to be true
He had a work that no other could do;
He would do it so wisely, so bravely, so well,
That angels might hasten the story to tell."
After some time he writes:--
"How the Khedive is towards me I don't know, but thank God he prevents
me caring for any one's favour or disfavour. I honestly say I do not
know anyone who would endure the exile and worries of my position out
here. Some might fear if they were dismissed, that the world would
talk. Thank God! I am screened from that fear. I know that I have
done my best, as far as my intellect would allow me, for the Khedive,
and have tried to be just to all."
On contemplating retirement, he writes:--
"Now imagine what I lose by coming back, if God so wills it; a life in
a tent, with a cold humid air at night, to which if, from the heat of
the tent you expose yourself, you will suffer for it, either in liver
or elsewhere. The most ordinary fare. _Most_ ordinary I can assure
you; no vegetables, dry biscuits, a few bits of broiled meat, and some
dry macaroni, boiled in water and sugar. I forgot some soup; up at
dawn and to bed between eight and nine p.m. No books but one, and
that not often read for long, for I cannot sit down for a study of
those mysteries. All day long, worrying about writing orders, to be
obeyed by others in the degree as they are near or distant from me:
obliged to think of the veriest trifle, even to the knocking off the
white ants from the stores, etc.--that is one's life; and, speaking
materially, for what gain? At the end of two years, say 2,000 pounds.
At the end of three say 3,500 pounds at the outside. The gain to be
called 'His Excellency,' and this money. Yet his poor 'Excellency'
has to slave more than any individual; to pull ropes, to mend this;
make a cover to that (just finished a capital cover to the duck Gun).
I often say, 'drop the excellency, and do this instead.'"
Again he writes:--
"This country would soon cure a man of his ambition, I think, and make
him content with his lot. The intense heat, and other stagnation
except you have some disagreeable incident, would tame the most
enthusiastic; a thin, miserable tent under which you sit, with the
perspiration pouring off you. A month of this life, and you would be
dissatisfied with your lot."
Gordon had kept up some very interesting correspondence with an old
friend in China; an old officer in Gordon's "Ever victorious Army," Li
Hung Chang. While Gordon is feeling unwell, and disposed to send his
resignation to the Khedive--he writes in his journal:--
July 21st, 1879.
"I shall (D.V.) leave for Cairo in ten days, and I hope to see you
soon; but I may have to go to Johannis before I go to Cairo. I am a
wreck, like the portion of the 'Victory' towed into Gibraltar after
Trafalgar; but God has enabled me, or rather has used me, to do what I
wished to do--that is, break down the slave trade. "Those that honour
me I will honour." May I be ground to dust, if He will glorify
Himself in me; but give me a humble heart, for then he dwells there in
comfort. I wrote you a letter about my illness and tore it up. Thank
God, I am pretty well now, but I have passed the grave once lately,
and never thought to see Khartoum. The new Khedive is more civil, but
I no longer distress myself with such things. God is the sole ruler,
and I try to walk sincerely before Him."
The letter from Li Hung Chang was to him a source of great satisfaction
and pleasure, as it showed his example had affected for good this eastern
ambassador, who visited this country only a very few years ago.
The letter ran thus:--
TIENTSIN,
_March 22nd_, _1879_.
"To His Excellency Colonel C. G. Gordon,
Khartoum, Egypt.
"Dear Sir.--I am instructed by his Excellency the Grand Secretary, Li,
to answer your esteemed favour, dated the 27th October, 1878, from
Khartoum, which was duly received. I am right glad to hear from you.
It is now fourteen years since we parted from each other. Although I
have not written to you, I often speak of you, and remember you with
very great interest. The benefit you have conferred on China does not
appear with your person, but is felt throughout the regions in which
you played so important and active a part. All those people bless you
for the blessings of peace and prosperity which they now enjoy.
Your achievements in Egypt are well known throughout the civilized
world. I see often in the papers of your noble works on the Upper
Nile. You are a man of ample resources, with which you suit yourself
to any emergency. My hope is that you may long be spared to improve
the conditions of the people amongst whom your lot is cast. I am
striving hard to advance my people to a higher state of development,
and to unite both this and all other nations within the 'Four seas'
under one common brotherhood.
I wish you all manner of happiness and prosperity. With my highest
regards,
I remain,
Yours truly,
LI HUNG CHANG."
In all, and through all these various trying vicissitudes he remained
true to his innate religious convictions, and looked upon it all as the
filling in of a plan, which was divine. His hours for prayer were
maintained with as great a regularity as were those of another eastern
official servant, Daniel, who "three times a day kneeled on his knees and
prayed and gave thanks to God." Gordon, when at prayer, placed outside
his tent a white handkerchief, this was the sign the Governor was at his
devotions, and no servant or messenger must disturb him. He kept closely
in touch with God, so to speak. His outer life might be ruffled by
storms and tempests, but within he had the perfect peace.
While Gordon was hoping to get away from the trying climate and yet more
trying circumstances around him, a message (not unexpected) reached him,
giving him instructions to proceed to Abyssinia, and see if he could
settle the dispute or misunderstanding that had arisen between Johannis
the King and the Khedive. He proceeded on that very risky mission as he
states in his letters; the journey was "indescribable in its solitary
grandeur. These interminable deserts, and arid mountain passes fill the
heart with far different thoughts than civilized lands do." With few
attendants, he writes:--"We are still slowly crawling over the world's
crust. Reaching the dominions of the King of Abyssinia, we camped near
Ras Alonla, and the priests used to gather at 3 a.m. in knots of two and
three and chant for an hour in a wild melodious manner the Psalms of
David. Awakened at this unearthly hour no one could help being
impressed. Some of them had children who chanted." Again he writes:--"We
have just passed a famous convent. The great high priest, who only comes
out to meet the King, and who is supposed to be the King's right hand in
religious questions, came out to meet us. I had some splendid silk
brocade, which I gave him. He held a gold cross in his hand, and spoke
of the love of Christ. He seemed to be a deeply religious man."
Father Soho says of Abyssinia:--
"No country in the world is so full of churches, monasteries, and
ecclesiastics, as Abyssinia. It is hardly possible to sing in one
church, or monastery, without being heard in another, and perhaps by
several. They sing the Psalms of David, of which they have a very
exact translation in their own language. They begin their concert by
stamping their feet on the ground, and playing gently on their
instruments; but when have become warm by degrees, they leave off
drumming, and fall to leaping, dancing, shouting and clapping hands,
till their is neither tune nor pause, but rather a religious riot. For
this manner of religious worship, they quote the Psalm--"O clap your
hands, all ye nations." Gordon says, "I could not but like this poor
simple-minded peasantry."
Again he writes:--
"We are about a days march from the river Taczzi, which joins the Nile
at Berber. Nearing the Palace, if so I may call it, I was met by the
King's body guard. I was of course wearing the Crest and Field
Marshal's uniform; the soldiers were sitting on their heels and never
got up. Passing through them I found my mule so tired that I got down
and walked. On arrival at the Palace, I was admitted to the King, who
sat upon a raised dais, with the Itage, or Chief Priest on the ground
at his left hand. Then guns were fired, and the King said, "That is
in your honour, and you can retire," which I did, to see him again
shortly. Again Gordon visited the Royal personage, and was granted
permission to present his case, but Gordon considered himself unduly
humbled as he was ordered to stand afar off; a stool at length was
placed for him to sit upon. This humble position Gordon would at
other times have accepted and tolerated, but not here and now; he must
show his dignity as the representative of a Foreign, powerful monarch;
he seized the stool and carried it up to near where the King sat, and
placed it by his side, saying, "Though in your hands I may be a
prisoner, I am a man as much as you are, and can only meet you as an
equal." His sable Majesty was greatly annoyed at Gordon's audacious
conduct, and remarking said, "Gordon Pasha don't you know I am the
King, and could kill you if I wished." "I am perfectly aware of
that," said Gordon, "Do so at once if it is your Royal pleasure, I am
ready." "What," said the King, "Ready to be killed?" "Certainly,"
said Gordon, "I am always ready to die, and so far from fearing you
putting me to death, you would confer a favour on me by so doing, for
you would be doing for me that which I am precluded by my religious
convictions from doing for myself. You would relieve me from all the
troubles the future may have in store for me." "Then my power has no
terror for you, Gordon!" "None whatever," he replied. So Gordon
proved more than a match for this half-civilized Abyssinian King. His
visit, however, could not be considered successful as his Majesty was
unreasonable in all his demands, and so put out of the power of Gordon
to reach any settlement. So he left the King without effecting what
he came to do. How to get away now was to him a source of anxiety. As
he surmised, they were not likely to allow him to carry back the
valuables he had in his possession. It required all his tact and wit
and discretion in this perilous position. He, however, at the cost of
about 1,400 pounds in bribes and gifts, managed to get away. Then he
had to find his way back alone. This was a severe ordeal. Over
mountains covered with snow, and through defiles of rocky places, now
meeting with wild hordes of the dog-faced baboons, then with the
uncivilized tribes of the human species none the less dangerous. He,
however, by the care of an ever watchful Providence, had escaped
serious harm and reached Khartoum in safety."