ORGANIZATION OF THE NILE COLUMN. I45 The result was that nine whale-boats were to be devoted to the eight sections of the field-hospital, one of the boats to be for the senior medical officer, who would have charge of a few luxuries for the sick. Each section of the hospital was for twenty-five patients, who could be carried in one boat ; but there were to be no tents unless urgently required, and they would then be provided from those carried for the troops; nor could a bearer company be organized, but it was settled that the eight stretchers for the wounded of each battalion should be carried by the bandsmen. It will be seen that as the column was to go forward, and could not form connecting posts, the sick and wounded must be taken with it, and therefore each corps was to carry its own sick in its own boats; and the sick of the mounted corps which travelled by land—were to be carried in the boats of the battalion to which they were attached for rations.

These are a few of the details of the careful preparations that had to be made, and we may not unprofitably consider them, because in superficially reading the story of a campaign we seldom are able to realize all that is meant by preparation and organization; and here was an expedition—a river column preparing for a journey which it was calculated would take about forty days necessarily providing against all kinds of contingencies—for its progress was to be through a hostile, a little-known, and probably a barren colmtry, with the need for constant vigilance against cunning and active foes, who would endeavour to cut off all supplies and lose no opportunity of harassing and misleading. Colonel Butler, who was now ready, had arrived at Korti in his boat manned by Kroomen after having concluded the arduous duty of superintending the passage of the boats up the rapids. He was now prepared to join them on their further advance, for he had spoken in enthusiastic terms of the willingness, good-temper, and constant exertions of the troops, and of their cheerfulness under what were occasionally great privations. He believed, as General Butler had said, that the boat squadron should perform the journey to Khartum by the end of February, that is to say, in about forty days from the general advance of the river column. It was, how-VoL. IV. 63