English: 36 rifles and 30 cartridges from the front. As for the ammunition, there was a lot, enough for six months.

The convoy traveled from (Duweim) to (Shai), and from there to Yaqoub. It had barely left the bank of the Nile when it saw the Mahdists approaching with shouts and cries, so it was forced to move. A circle formed around the convoy's animals, and they could only spend the night inside a thorn enclosure, and all the soldiers stayed away from the enclosure to graze the animals.

The enemy was in front of them, and most of the animals had died from lack of water, and the soldiers were tired from lack of sleep, as the Mahdists would attack them with their cries every night, so they would get up to repel them and drive them back, and so on until dawn. When the convoy reached a place called ( El Obeid), about four days' journey away, the Mahdi gathered his people and said to them, "When you see the Mahdists, think then say, 'O Allah, we entrust ourselves and them to you, and you are the killer.'"

A German was in the convoy, drawing some forests, so the Mahdi sent him. Sultan confirmed that he was the one who brought him, and that he was tired and in a bad state. He embraced Islam, and this German remained a prisoner of the Mahdi until he died in the land of the Funj. He escaped from captivity.

The conflict was intense between Colonel Hicks and Ala al-Din Pasha, so much so that it was said that most of the Mahdists and officers showed dislike and disobedience. In the year 1298 AH, the convoy reached Fashoda. On the day of arrival, it was met by the governor of (Shikan). There was a pool filled with rainwater, and the next day the Mahdi marched and camped at (El Baraka) on a waterhole that was feared the convoy would reach before him. The number of his infantry fighters was 9000.