262 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

been extended only to Akasheh, thirty miles south of Sarras, had been afterwards carried to Firket, south of the Dal Cataracts. Five miles south of Firket is Mograkeh, and two miles north of that, Kosheh, which was our furthest outpost. A body of the rebel Arabs coming to meet our troops had crossed the river and had strips of fertile land at their backs from which to draw supplies, while provisions for our force had to be taken by rail from Wady Haifa, whence they had come from Cairo. The enemy had been harassing our forts with artillery and rifle fire under cover of the rocky hills and sand-banks, and had concentrated at Ginnis. General Grenfell as division commander, and Generals Butler and Huyshe (the latter the officer who commanded the Berkshires at General M'Neill's seriba) each leading a brigade, determined on an advance. The Cameron Highlanders and two Egyptian battalions were engaged, the latter being chiefly black troops. Three columns approached by different routes, and after shelling the huts in front of Kosheh, the stern-wheel steamer turning her batteries on the rebels in the huts at Ginnis, a rush was made from the hills by the Highlanders, a few other British troops, and the black battalion, who cleared out the rebels near to Kosheh, while Butler's brigade swept on and attacked the enemy at Ginnis, where the second brigade joined them, and the place was carried after a stubborn fight, the routed Arabs retreating to the south, leaving their camp, much ammunition, and twenty standards. It was believed that nearly seven thousand Arabs had concentrated there, and a large number were killed in the engagement.

With this battle ended the year 1885, and early in 1886 arrangements were in progress to advance on the Nile line and occupy the posts with Egyptian troops. Meantime the rebels at Suakim found themselves opposed by the friendlies of the tribes who had given in their allegiance to Colonel Chermside. The friendlies of the Amarar tribe continued to fight Osman Digma's followers successfully, and in June it was reported that they had occupied Handoub, and that Osman Digma, who took too good care of himself to be killed, was at Tamai, where it was expected a fight would shortly take place.

During the succeeding months till October various and contradictory rumours were heard, but there seemed to be little doubt that in the southern provinces the Arabs chiefs and their followers were fighting amongst themselves, and there were not wanting some evidences that the rebellion would end in desultory hostilities among the tribes, amidst which some overtures for a restoration of a regular government might be obtained.

The tangled question of Egyptian finance and of impending bankruptcy were mooted over and over again, but the financial schemes which were discussed, and those portions of them which were eventually adopted—and are perhaps destined soon to be superseded by the result of the mission