The Fate of General Gordon.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 216, 20 August 1887, Page 2

The Fate of General Gordon.

We have yet to learn the true story of the massacre of General Coulon, bub tho full particulars may be obtained at a later date if a statement recently made at Cairo .should be authenticated. Two Syrians and an Arab arrived in that city from Omdurman who state that the European who escaped from the disaster near El Obeid is not Mr Vizetelly, but Mr O'Donovan, the intrepid war correspondent. According to the leport of the Syrian Patriarch, who has also arrived at Cairo from Omdurman, the European who is at that town is nn English journalist, who speaks French and a little Turkish, and haB travelled a deal in Pnlostine and Asia Minor. He is employed as a sort of secretary to the Mahdi, who consults him on all points connected with tho addressing of lettorsand memorials intended for English reading, also on subjects of political European interest on which Abdullah Kahalifa wishes to be informed. This secretary dresses in Arab costume, and conforms with wonderful success to the manners and customs of the Mahdi. The Syrian l J atriarch is of the opinion that he has a great deal of influence with the Mahdi. From descriptions given of this adventurous Englishman it certainly appears that he resembles more Mr O'Donovan than Mr Vizetelly. It is said that Sir Evelyn Baring has made efforts to establish the identity of this European, but the recent battle at fcarras having completely interrupted all communications with the Soudan, it is not likely that anything more will be known on the subject for somo time to come.

The Pope's Jubilee present to the Queon is one of the finest pieces of Roman mosaic ever seen." 'It'is a perfect reproduction of Raphael's representation of poetry in the Stanza della Segnatura, which is one of tho most marvellous ,art treasures,; of the "Vatican. I saw the picture when in Rome some weelcs ago, and can well imagine that to reproduce it in mosaic must have taken (it is stated) two men nearly two years.