144 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

preserved vegetables, rice, oatmeal, and other stores had been damaged by water while they were being transported in the boats from Sarras to Korti. Above a fourth part of the biscuits were comparatively useless, nearly all the cabin biscuits being uneatable.

Horses, ponies, camels all required grain, which had to be carried, for no dependence could be placed on a supply being obtained after leaving Hamdab. There might be some green forage on the journey, but 1500 lbs. or five camel-loads of grain a day had to be provided. There were also water-tanks to carry, in case the force should have to make a flank movement by the desert; and there was all the flour required for the native troops to be conveyed by the camels, who, poor brutes, came worst off as usual, for little more grain than would suffice for the horses could be carried, and unless a supply should be found on the journey (not an improbable event) the " ships of the desert" would have to make the best of such forage as they came across in the deserted fields or patches of cultivated land by the river bank.

Firewood also had to be found from day to day, for boats and camels were laden as heavily as they would bear, and fortunately the boats had been overhauled at Korti, and were fairly watertight and sound, though some of them still bore the tin patches, which had been fastened on to stop a leak or repair a slight damage received on their way up the Nile. A number of articles sent to go with the expedition had to be rejected for the want of the means of carrying them. Many were comparatively or entirely useless. General Brackenbury mentions meat covers and skewers, large pewter measures and beer-taps,- pairs of bellows, and coffee-mills. These, however, may be regarded as belonging to the material for a field-hospital of 200 beds, which had been forwarded to Abu-Dom, and the larger portion of which had to be abandoned, including hospital marquees, sheets, and pillows, (except a few for very serious cases,) and even blue waistcoats and trousers. Every extra pound of baggage was a difficulty, and General Brackenbury had to go off to Korti to see Surgeongeneral O'Nial, chief of the medical staff, and Surgeon-major Harvey, who was to be senior medical officer of the river column.