1 66 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

The wounded were reported to be, on the whole, doing well, and it certainly seemed as though the air of the Soudan, notwithstanding its variations of temperature, was favourable to the recovery of our men. Already the wounded from Gubat and Abu-Klea were arriving at Korti, whence on the 12th of February Lord Wolseley telegraphed :—" First convoy of wounded just arrived. Nine officers and thirty-four non-commissioned officers and men. I have visited all of them, and found them in the best spirits and looking very healthy, the desert air having done them much good. All anxious to be well again, and to have another fight with enemy."

At about the same time an official report was made of the passage which the whole moving force had made up the Nile above Wady Haifa to Korti.

General Buller and Colonel Brackenbury, before they had both gone forward with their expedition, had made inspection of the force, and at that time had estimated that the total loss from drowning had not exceeded eighteen men, and that the average loss of boats was not more than three per regiment, an astonishingly low figure considering the difficulties and danger of the cataracts and rapids which the boats had to surmount.

A boat, the Lotus, had at that time arrived at Korti with a cargo from the lower Nile, whence she had made a rapid passage, and was to return at once with sick to the hospitals, so that regular arrangements were made for the conveyance of the invalids towards Cairo. At the date of the operations of the Nile column Lord Wolseley had issued a special general order as to the progress and conduct of the boats, saying that the following battalions, in the order named, had completed the journey from Sarras to Debbeh in the quickest time:— First, the Royal Irish; second, the Gordon Highlanders; third, the West Kent. The second division of the naval brigade, under Lieutenant van Roughnet, the Royal Irish, and the West Kent, particularly distinguished themselves by the excellent order in which they brought up the boats and supplies. The second division of the naval brigade and Captain Forster's company