THE WAR

IN EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

CHAPTER VIII.

Story of the Fight for the Nile. Abu-KIea. A Night March. Sighting the Enemy. The Seriba.

Battle of Gubat. Sir Herbert Stewart Wounded. Cameron and St. Leger Herbert Killed. A Desperate Struggle. Return to Abu-Kru. Advance to Metammeh. Gordon's Steamers. A Forlorn Hope. Sir Charles Wilson embarks for Khartflm. The Voyage to Omdurman. A Queer Crew. Steaming under Fire. In Sight of Khartfim. Ominous Signs. Too Late

!

In the Hands of the Mahdi. Retreat of the Boats. Advance of River Column. Battle of

Kirbelcan,

We have already dwelt with some emphasis on the attitude

maintained by the government in defence of their policy, and it is

not further necessary to the present narrative to record the various

contentions which were taking place in and out of parliament in

reference to political consistency and the efificacy of the expedition

which had been ordered to the Soudan for the rescue or relief

of Gordon at Khartum. Subsequently,—that is to say in the light

of after events,—there were people who strongly declared that a

considerably larger force should have been despatched at a much

earlier period; others as distinctly affirmed that if the government

had been consistent no expedition need have been despatched at

all, but that the present force would have been sufficient in number

and equipments if the rescue had been possible at the time when it

could alone be decided that an interposition was to be exercised.

At any rate we have seen that the preparations made were designed

to meet all the physical difficulties that would be likely to be

encountered, and that from the first the only question was whether

it would be possible to reach Khartum in time to effect the primary

object of the enterprise. That object was the rescue of General

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