ENTRENCHING OURSELVES. 175 made before nightfall. Luckily the night passed without any signs of the enemy, and the next day was devoted to the continuance of the work. Sir C.

Wilson had sent out one of the steamers on the previous afternoon, in order to find out whether the reported enemy were anywhere near ; but though she patrolled up and down the river that evening, and the whole of the next day, she failed to find them, so returned to Gubat directly she had made sure that the force was not likely to be immediately molested.

Meanwhile preparations were going on for Sir Charles's journey to Khartoum. Coal for the steamers of course there was none, and the only wood to be got was by destroying the sakiyehs* all along the banks and cutting them up. This was most troublesome, for it entailed cutting-parties, armed covering-parties, and loss of much valuable time, besides which the wood was hard and bulky, and burned very quickly. Stores and arms were put on board for the plucky defenders of Khartoum, and by nightfall all was ready for an early start.

* Water-wheels.