"  24///  March. — The  Government  has  published  a  meagre
parliamentary  paper  upon  the  doings  at  Omdurman,  and
the  desecration  of  the  Mahdi's  tomb.  Of  course  even--
thing is  denied,  or  made  to  appear  to  be  denied,  except  the
fact,  which  could  not  be  concealed,  of  the  throwing  of
the  Mahdi's  body  into  the  Nile.  As  to  the  killing  of
the  wounded,  the  denial  does  not  include  the  general
order  which,  without  doubt,  was  given  of  killing  men  lying
on  the  ground  in  battle  after  they  had  fallen.  This  is
thought  to  be  excused  by  the  story,  much  exagger-


1899]  A   Visit  to  Herbert  Spencer  391

ated,  of  wounded  men  getting  up  and  firing  at  our
soldiers,  but  the  true  reason  of  the  slaughter  is  that  Kitch-
ener was  campaigning  on  the  cheap,  and  did  not  wish  to
be  encumbered  with  prisoners,  and  especially  wounded
prisoners.  This,  and  the  desire  to  have  '  a  record  bag '  as  a
revenge  for  Gordon.  The  destruction  of  the  tomb  is  a  crime
of  which  Kitchener  meanly  excuses  himself  by  saying  he
was  away  when  it  was  done,  though  he  had  given  the  order,
and  for  the  political  reason  of  preventing  the  tomb's  be-
coming a  centre  of  pilgrimage,  and  so  of  fanatical  feeling.
