Gordon of Khartoum, a superb five page manuscript letter with two sketches, sent in late March 1877 from Gordon Pasha at Keren, to Col. Nugent at Horse Guards, in which he discusses the situation in Abyssinia:

‘My Dear Nugent,

I arrived here from Massawah today. 41⁄2 days more or less misery the first 21⁄2 days were along the desert by sea, the other two days were along mountainous passes.

I saw little game beyond guinea fowl and partridges, and a lot of Baboons with manes like tippets on them, they sat on the overhanging rocks in the passes and grunted and growled at us there were lots of little ones, and one had a bad cough: just like a man’s. I came out of Massawah in great state, at (A) the water is pumped into Massawah but there is a fort there, & the country is open, so I do not fear it being cut off. Here at foot of Massalut pass, over which Nunnzinger made a road I was met, by a hoard of all sorts, irregular cavalry etc. etc. with musicians & dancers who danced before me, however any emotion I felt at this disappeared when I was claimed as a countryman, by an Irishman dressed like an Abyssinian viz with a sheet wrapped around him, you would never notice a black in this costume, but a white man looks loathsome half naked, and I was horrified. I called him, his name is MacIlvrey, he was servant at 14 yrs of age to Consul Cameron, taken by Theodore, he was released by Napier, but he returned to Abyssinia & was with Kirkham, till taken prisoner in one of the border Razzias by our people. He wants to go back to Abyssinia & I will let him, for he longs to go. He has become a complete Abyssinian in all his ways.You understand that Keren, the capital of Bogos, was occupied by Nunnzinger, it had before been scarcely considered either Abyssinian or otherwise. It cuts in thus between Massawah, and Casala. Munnzinger placed the frontier at a,b, (see sketch) and made a strong expensive fort at Keren. Bogos is only of use, on account of the road.

I do not know if I told you that the Khedive has made me a Marshal or Murdir and has given me the uniform. I wish you would send my letters to you to Grahame, and also let Watson and Sir Lintorn Simmons see them, and I will ask them to send theirs to you. It is terrible work, writing so many repetitions.

I have just heard (21 March) from General Alula, who is inclined for peace and writes to me very civilly the King is in Adowa.

Goodbye

Kind regards to Mrs Nugent & Charles

Yours sincerely

C. G. Gordon’

excellent condition £1000-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Allan and Janet Woodliffe Collection of Medals relating to the Reconquest and Pacification of The Sudan 1896-1956.

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Gordon met the bandit prince Waled el Michael of Bogo at Keren on 23 March 1877 - the Bogos area was claimed by both Egypt and Abyssinia - in order to offer him the local area governorship if he would submit to the Khedive of Egypt (el Michael had been raiding King Johannes of Abyssinia, while the Egyptians were also half-heartedly fighting the King over the disputed area). As it transpired, Gordon had to leave before any decision was made, but he later informed el Michael that he had instituted the agreement anyway, and that the bandit prince was now responsible to the Khedive of Egypt through him, and that he must cease raiding King Johannes. This agreement worked, more or less, until the rise of the Mahdi set the whole of the Sudan ablaze.