"Good-bye, and believe me,
"Yours very truly,
"C. G. GORDON."
Gordon duly returned to Egypt, for the Khedive held him to his promised
word. He was made Governor-General of the Soudan, Darfur, and the
Equatorial Provinces, which were now reunited into one great whole.
It was necessary for good administration that Gordon should have three
governors under him, one for the Soudan proper, one for the Equatorial
Provinces, and one for Darfur. As soon as Gordon had arranged matters
with the Khedive and entered upon his Governor-Generalship he wrote to
Burton, offering him the post of Governor-General of Darfur.
"OOMCHANGA, DARFUR, June, 21, 1877.
"MY DEAR CAPTAIN BURTON,
"You now, I see, have 600 pounds sterling a year, a good climate, quiet
life, good food, etc., and are engaged in literary inquiries, etc.,
etc. I have no doubt that you are very comfortable, but I cannot think
entirely satisfied with your present small sphere. I have therefore
written to the Khedive to ask him to give you Darfur as Governor-General,
with 1,600 pounds a year, and a couple of secretaries at 300 pounds a
year each. Darfur is _l'enfer_. The country is a vast sand plain, with
but little water; the heat is very great; there is little shooting. The
people consist of huge Bedawin tribes, and of a settled population in the
larger villages.
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