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BRITISH RULE IN THE SUDAN

to any kind of labour, and both were chiefly occupied in harrying their more peaceful and industrious neighbours. Both were reluctant to abandon their ancient ways, and against both force had to be applied. The Dinkas were first reduced, and as lately as the beginning of this year a strong column was sent out to patrol the country along the Congo watershed inhabited by the Niam-Niams. A certain Sultan Yumbio was the head and spirit of the offenders. By many overt acts of hostility he had displayed his disregard of the central authority. Hitherto invincible in his petty wars, and fortified by the deadly climate and impenetrable nature of the country, which had enabled him to maintain his position against the dervishes, he could not believe that the hour of submission was come. One skirmish was enough. Surprised by a swiftly-moving patrol, his forces were scattered after a brief resistance, and he himself was taken prisoner, only to die of his wounds the next day. His death was allowed by the submission of the whole country, and to-day peace reigns in the Sudan. One cannot but sympathize with this representative of the old order, thus brought suddenly into contact with a new system of right and wrong, backed by the sanction of irresistible force. But civilization has no room for him and his like, and his inevitable fate opens the way of progress and happiness to the negro tribes.

The future of the negro Sudan is only a part of that obscure and difficult problem common to a large part of Africa, the eventual future and destiny of the negro races. The establishment of peace and security of life and liberty is only the first essential preliminary to any consideration of the question. It will not be settled in a few decades, perhaps it will not in a few centuries. Far different is the case of the Arab Sudan. The Arab is capable of a very high degree of civilization. He has a good intelligence, and in all the manly qualities he is very far ahead of the Egyptian. And this is of the utmost importance. The tropical Sudan can never be a white man's country. Eventually it must depend very