bring you nothing but destruction, and cause you to fall into utmost danger in this world and the next. For God Most High has dispersed sedition through our manifestation, and has vanquished the wicked and obstinate people, and has guided those who have understanding in the way of righteousness. And there is no refuge but in God, and in obedience to His command, and that of His prophet and of His Madhi. No doubt you have heard what has happened to your brethren from whom you expected help, at Suakin and elsewhere, whom God has destroyed, and dispersed and abandoned. Notwithstanding all this, as we have arrived at a days journey from Omdurman and are coming please God, to your place, if you return to the most High God and become a Moslem and surrender to His Order and that of His prophet, and believe in us as the Madhi, send us a message from thee, and from those with thee, after laying down your arms and giving up the thought of fighting, so that I may send you one with safe conduct, by which you will obtain assurance of benefits of the blessings of this world and the next. Otherwise, and if you do not act thus, you will have to encounter war from God and His prophet. And know that the Most High God is mighty for thy destruction, as He has destroyed others before thee, who were much stronger than thee, and more numerous. And you, and your children and your property, will be for a prey to the monsters, and you will repent when repentance will not avail . . . And there is no succourer or strength but in God, and peace be upon those who have followed the Madhi. (_Guidance_.) POSTSCRIPT.--"In one of your cipher-telegrams sent to Bahkri and seized, you mention that the troops present in Bahr Gazelle and the Equator and elsewhere number 30,000 soldiers whom you cannot leave behind, even though you should die. And know that Bahr Gazelle and the Equator are both of them under our power and both have followed us as Madhi, and that they and their chiefs and all their officers are now among the auxiliaries of the Madhi. And they have joined our lieutenants in that part, and letters from them are constantly coming and going without hinderence or diminution of numbers. . . . By this thou wilt see and understand that it is not under thy command as thou thinkest. And for thy better information and our compassion for thee we have added this postscript. (_Seal_.) There is no God but Allah. Mahomet is the prophet Allah. Mahomet the Madhi, son of Abd Allah." Year 1292. Gordon's reply was just what we should expect from an officer of his temperament and experience. It is true things looked anything but cheering and our hero needed all his force of character and confidence in the God of Israel. This he had and kept brightly burning. To the Madhi he replied--