General C.G. Gordon | Nine autograph letters signed, to his brother and sister-in-law, 1874-83

General C.G. Gordon

Series of nine autograph letters (six signed, three incomplete at the end), comprising six to his brother General Enderby Gordon, and three to his sister-in-law Margaret ("My dear Maggie")

describing his arduous journey down the White Nile as Governor of Equatoria and life in equatorial east Africa, the earliest letter with sketch maps of the Nile between Lardo and Regaf and the area around Fashoda, also discussing regional politics in Egypt and Sudan, with later letters written from South Africa and the Holy Land, writing of his religious and philosophical beliefs, sending condolence to Margaret on the death of her husband ("...you are aware of how I look on death, and on its being life, and so I do not grieve for him..."), also writing of his nephew Charles and other family subjects, 44 pages, folio and 8vo, Gondoroko, Fatiko, Lardo, Mrooli, King William's Town, Bellevue Hotel Berne, Jerusalem, Jaffa, 4 December 1874 to 2 November 1883, three letters to Enderby incomplete at end (clipped or lacking final leaves), at least five letters strengthened at folds, some offsetting, nicks at edges

"...Crocodiles, Hippopotami & huge fish swim in the Victoria Nile & at night - the noise is astounding, as all are on the move, and join in the noise made by Waterfall, and the roaring of the lions. The crocodiles swarm, they lay 80 to 100 eggs, the egg is as large as a goose's, if you break the shell, the little crocodile runs out..." (C.G. Gordon to Enderby Gordon, Kerri, 6 May 1876)

REVEALING FAMILY LETTERS BY GENERAL GORDON. These letters are written to Gordon's older brother General Enderby Gordon (1824-1883) and his wife Margaret. The earliest letters in the series are written during Gordon's governorship of Equatoria in southern Sudan, where he worked his way south down the White Nile towards Lake Albert, established military camps, attempted to eradicate the slave trade and to establish Egyptian rule. He writes of physical difficulties including the "detestable climate" at Gondokoro ("...I do not wonder at the khedive not finding men to come up here, it is certainly most trying..."), as well as the morale of his men ("...Watson and Chippindall avowed to me that on their departure from Suakim & all the way up, they thought over their position which they had not thought over before, & had they known of the state of oppression of the country they would never have come..."). He does not hide his famously strong opinions, whether it be his low opinion of European explorers in Africa ("...I am sick of these people. Baker continues writing & I continue to put his letters into my desk, unread...", Mrooli, 27 August 1876), or his respect for settlers in Cape Colony ("...I like the Colony & colonists and honest hardworking men get on well here...", King William's Town 21 July 1882).

Gordon's descriptions of wildlife provide glimpses of the region's natural beauty, but his role was primarily political and he was well attuned to the wider context of his mission despite his remote location. He writes of his scepticism of the character of his employer the khedive ("I cannot help feeling that he is a scamp and would do anything to serve his ends") and goes into some detail on the likely impact of the investigation of Steven Cave, MP, into Egyptian government finances. He explains that the khedive "thinks a good salary will purchase a clean bill of health, i.e. a report that he is solvent, & thinks with his help he will be able to raise taxes on Europeans & leave the onus of so doing on Cave". He goes on to explain his ambivalence towards the salary that comes from the Egyptian government: "I like money, but do not like it when squeezed out of the entrails of these poor people."

Gordon's devout Christianity is also a recurrent theme in these letters, although less so than in other family letters especially to his sister Augusta. He writes of his own faith and philosophy, and tried to find words of support for his brother, for example when he came towards retirement from the army: "You have tried [...] to do your duty to your country for many years & may now turn to the great problems of life. Think over these words. You, the essential you existed before all worlds as part of God, God to show forth his glory, cased you in a body corruptible in a corrupted earth in which the career of that body was duly laid out."

PROVENANCE

Christie's, London, 29 November 1995, lot 151