108 GORDON ND THE MAHDI.

of safety and forward progress. Some of them were on the river's bank, others mounted upon the rocks in mid-channel, wading or swimming to and fro;but, for the Englishmen and others who had to cross the river at a wider part, a hawser was stretched right across, fastened to the shore at each end, and a boat,with some running tackle laid on the hawser, was used to ferry them over. The sailors and soldiers worked very well, assistedby 1500 Dongola men and 800 men ofEsueh,but the task was a most difficult one. The Ghizeh passed successfullythroughthe cataractof Bab-el-Ambak beyond Sarras, but onreaching Tangour,where the passage is very difficult, she was wrecked and sunk, only her masts and funnel being visible above the water. At one moment it seemedas if the Nassif-el-Kheir steamerwould meet witha similar fate, for it was only by the greatest exertionsand by a wonderfuldisplay of skill thatshe was eventually got past the rapids at Samneh. After a great deal of troubleshe washauled successfullythrough the first two gates,but three morelay beforeher,including a very difficult one where the passage is extremely narrow. She was fairly within this gate when she suddenly struck and gratedagainst the rocks, two of the hawsers parting at the same time, with the result that she drifted towards the western shore and narrowly escapedbeing dashed to pieces. A boat bringing up a fresh hawser was thenwrecked and the crew were only saved with difficulty. A moment afterwards, when the steamer was againinmotion, the portpaddlewassmashed against the rocks and so injured that theengines worked unavailingly. The headhawserparted at the same time, and the steamer againswung to the western bank,held by a smallhawser only. Those which had parted were a six-and-a-half-inch grass, and a five-and-a-half-inch hemp,and had been considered strong enough to resist any strain placed on them. The only course now was to secure the steamer as well as possible, and repair the paddle. This was done, and eventually, after another stupendous effort— a force of six thousand men being employed for sevenhours— theNassif-el-Kheir was hauled through the final gateswith comparatively little damage.

About the same time the twin screw steamer Montgomery reached Samneh, having passed through the western channel, thus avoiding the full force of the cataract. The first of the seven steam pinnaces from Englandwaslikewiselaunchedat Sarras,beingsuccessfully hauleddownanimprovised slip from the railway to the river,although thedrop wasasteepone,andthe engineers had no proper appliances for such work. Among the other vessels sent outto be usedintho expeditionwas the twin canoe raft, invented by Mr. E. S. Copeman, and remarkable alike for stability and buoyancy, besides possessing greatcapacityof stowage. Itconsistedof two verylight canoe-shapedbodies, 25 ft.long,made of deal, with ribs of American elm, and was coveredbothinside audout withstoutcanvas. Capsizing was impossible,but in caseof an accident from the raftbeingdamaged inany particular part, it was far less likely to sink than an ordinaryboat, the canoes being constructed in compartments. The raft carriedtwo sails, three oars, andtwelve paddles,and awnings werestretchedfrombow to sternof each canoe. There was ample accommodation for twelve men ontheplatforms and for 4500lb.of stores inthecompartments of the canoes. The stern-wheel steamer called the Lotus, built by Messrs. Yarrow & Co. of Poplar, was brought by barge in 700 pieces to Samneh, and was riveted up and launched there. This vessel, which was 80 ft. in length, 18 ft. in beam and only 16 in.indraught, was capable of carrying from four FINAL AND SUCESFUL ATEMPT TO GET THE STEAMER OVER THE SECOND GATE OF THE SECOND CATARACT