136 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAX.

Friday, 20th Rabi.' I shall continue my advance to-morrow.'

Brackenbury's message ends. The 9th Rabi is the 26th January," There was but little hope of Gordon being still alive after this.

We have already seen what was the plan and what the object of the river column, the advance of which had commenced on the 29th of December, 1884, to establish a post at Handab or Hamdab above the cataract and near Duguiyet. Colonel Colville was at Abu-Dom, a kind of suburb of Merawi, with the vakeel of the Mudir of Dongola, and about 400 of the mudir's troops, with the object of collecting cattle, grain, flour, and firewood against the arrival of the column; but the vakeel was indifferent and defiant, and had eventually to be sent back to Korti under the representation that Lord Wolseley wished to see him. He afterwards confessed that the mudir had told him to give as little help as possible, and whether this was true or not, it was so much in accordance with the shiftiness and wayward treachery of these half-barbarous chiefs that it was felt to be necessary to convince him that his only safety lay in remaining loyal to the English. While he was at Korti his deputy was left to represent him along with the Turkish officer commanding the mudir's troops.

This collection of supplies was the initial difficulty, and as much of the food brought up by the Staffords was wanted for the desert column only thirty days' boat rations could be taken at first. The second difficulty was that of transport, to secure enough grain, flour, and other stores to maintain the strength and health of the men and the horses and camels, and yet to be able to convey them on that difficult river journey, the obstacles to which were unknown, was a problem not easy to solve. The order that companies were to keep together and that the duty of an officer in the last boat of each company would be to do all in his power to urge on and give necessary assistance to any boats in his company that might be falling behind, considerably helped the subsequent arrangements.

It was to Abu-Dom that the messenger returned who had been ' Vol. iii. pp. 265, 266.