CONTENTS. Vll
Proposal to send Indian Troops to Suakim, 131
Advance of the Nile Column— Reaches
Dulka Island— News of the Battle at
Kirbekan and Death of General Earle Heavy Losses—The Mahdi's Letter about
the Fall of Khartflm, .... 133
Collection of Supplies—A New-year's Din-
ner in a Hut, 136
General Earle arrives in the Camp—Pre-
parations for an Advance, . . 138
The Nile Column concentrated at Handab
The Supply of Food—Intelligence from
Berber, Abu-Hamed, and Birti, . . 140
The Column starts from Handab—The Fort
at Kabenat—News about the Enemy, . 146
Proposed Seizure of Suleiman Wad Gamr
Colonel Butler enters Birti — Articles
found belonging to Colonel Stewart, . 150
Difficultiesof the Nile Passage—The Column
reaches Birti— News from Lord Wolseley
of the Fall of Khartflm—A Halt called
Speculations as to the Future—Advance
to Abu-Hamed ordered, . . . 152
The Camp on Dulka Island—Position of the
Enemy at Kirbekan — The Enemy at-
tacked—General Earle and Colonel Eyre
killed—The Arabs routed—Our Losses, . 157
CHAPTER IX.
A Force to be sent to Suakim—Supplemen-
tary War Estimates, .... 168
Offers of Assistance from Canada and Aus-
tralia—Enthusiasm in the Colonies, . 170
Sir Edward Strickland's Letter in the Sydney
Morning Herald— Mr. Dalley's Cable-
gram—Offers of large Subscriptions, . 173
Enrolment and Equipment of the Australian
Force—Arrangements for its Despatch
Rate of Pay and Number of Men—Out-
fit and Uniform—Food Supplies, . -177
Excitement in New South Wales— "Called
to the Front ! "—Loyalty to Britain, . 183
The Mustering at Sydney—Signs of Oppo-
sition—Great Patriotic Meeting—Chief-
justice Martin's Resolution carried, . 185
Sunday in Sydney before the Embarkation
—The Muster of the Men—The March to
the Quay—The Governor's Parting Ad-
dress—On board the Iberia and Austral-
asian—Telegram to the Queen, . . iSS
Telegram from Lord Derby to Sir W.
Robinson—Meeting at the War Office, . 194 A Force to be sent to Suakim against Osman Digma — General Sir Gerald Graham receives the Command—The
Queen inspects the Grenadier Guards, . 195
General BuUer retires from Gubat—General
Brackenbury with the Nile Column is
recalled—Colonel Talbot's March to Abu-
Klea—He is attacked by the Arabs— Is
reinforced by Col. S. Clarke—Arrives at
Abu- Klea, and starts for Gakdul, . . 197
Death of General Sir H. Stewart — His
Early History and Career as a Soldier, . 201
General Buller's Column at Abu-Klea
Tactics of the Enemy— Their Treachery —The Force recalled to Gakdul, . . 204 A Visit to the Field of Abu-Klea, . . 206
The March to Gakdul—Harassed by the Enemy—Major Wardrop's ingenious De-
vice—Arrival at Gakdul and at Korti, . 207
Fortunes of the Nile Column—Its Difficulties
in the Shukook Pass—Arrives at Salamat, 208
Suleiman Wad Gamr's House searched and
destroyed—Relics of Colonel Stewart, .211
General Brackenbury crosses the Nile
Reaches Hebbeh, where Colonel Stewart
and his Party were murdered—A Visit to
the wrecked Steamer—Relics of the mur-
dered Men, . . . . . .212
A Despatch from Lord Wolseley recalls
General Brackenbury — The Retuni
Journey down the Nile— Farewell Parade
of the River Column— General Bracken-
bury reaches Korti, .... 216
Accounts by Natives of the fall of Khartum
and Death of Gordon—The Greek's Story — Characteristic Description of the Mass-
acre by two Refugees—Miserable End of
Faragh Pasha, 219