ROME SUEZ PANAMA. 145 



had built forty years ago on the banks of the Nile to 

 use against you. Go and take the cannon on their 

 ramparts and throw them into the Nile." I whispered 

 into his ear, " Perhaps, Monseigneur, you are going too 

 far ; they may make use of them after you are gone." 

 To which he rejoined, " They are quite worthless." 



He was a shrewd politician. He went on to Khar- 

 toum, leaving the generals, ministers, and myself be- 

 hind to register all the heads of families who had 

 assembled. This took us about a day, our mode of 

 procedure being to obtain the necessary information 

 from the tribes who had representatives at Chendi. 

 We placed so many numbers upon so many posts, and 

 we each took down the names of the chiefs, of the 

 wealthiest, the oldest, and the youngest. Having 

 selected the leaders of the municipalities, we started 

 on the following day to rejoin the Viceroy at Khar- 

 toum. Upon our arrival the Yiceroy came out to 

 meet me, and taking me by the hand said, " You must 

 dine with me. You will hear such a band of music as 

 never played before any sovereign that of an ancient 

 negro regiment which dates from my father's time. 

 The regimental chemist has mended the wind instru- 

 ments with soap plaster ; and this was the band which 

 welcomed me on my arrival." 



Entering the dining-room, we had our dinner served 

 on a small table placed beside the divan, and I noticed 

 that towards the close of the meal the Viceroy's coun- 

 tenance began to cloud over. He had the habit when 



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