Gordon was at that time taking a quiet rest near Jaffa, in the Holy Land, and making investigations into places specially spoken of in the Scriptures. He thought he could locate the place where Samuel took Agag and hewed him to pieces. Also the well, called "Jacob's Well," and other places of interest. It is said at this juncture, things in the Soudan had become hopeless. A gentleman sent to one of the papers at Cairo the following message: "Would to God that an angel would stand at the elbow of Lord Granville in London, and say, And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Gordon, and he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." Strange to say, about this time, Gordon was sent for to London, where he had interviews with Lord Hartington, Secretary of State for War, Lord Granville, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lord Northbrook, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Sir Charles Dilke, President of the Local Government Board, at the War Office, and in a very short space of time, the question, which was destined to have far reaching results, was settled, and Gordon declared his willingness to go to Khartoum at the earliest possible date. Indeed he said, "At once," and to go alone. Something like the following conversation is said to have taken place between Gordon and one of his very intimate friends: "Well, General, have you got your kit ready?" His reply was, "I have got what I always have: this hat is good enough, so are these clothes, my boots I think are strong enough." "And how are you off for cash?" "Ah! I was nearly forgetting that. I had to borrow 25 pounds from the King of the Belgians to bring me home from Palestine; this I must repay, and I shall of course need a little more for common daily use." "How much do you think, two or three thousand pounds?" "Oh dear no! One hundred pounds apiece for myself and Stewart, will be enough; what on earth should we want so much money for." And so the gallant general, with his faithful companion--the late lamented Colonel Stewart, started. We are told they were accompanied to Charing Cross railway station by H. R. H. the Duke of Cambridge, who took their tickets for them; also by Lord Wolseley (who would insist on carrying Gordon's portmanteau), Colonel Brackenbury, and Lord Hartington's private secretary, who bade them good-bye, and God speed on their mission, from which they were never to return. We think history will never record a more heroic example of patriotism, than that of this God-fearing officer, riding forth upon his swift footed camel, with only one English friend and companion, the Colonel Stewart, and a few Arab attendants, to confront and settle the wild and barbarous hordes of the Madhi. One of our papers published the following appropriate lines:--