GORDON AND THE MAHDI. 48 moredesperate straits than that at Sinkat. A letter received from its commander towards the end ofJanuary,1884, said:— "It is impossible for us to be in a worsecondition thanwenow are. The enemyhave filled up all the wells outside the town, and the water in the inside wells is brackish and bad. The troops are suffering greatly from diarrhSa, andIfear that in two or three days weshall be obligedto surrender. We have dried grain enough for three months, butno meat orghee,and only from ten to twenty rounds of ammunition per man. The rebels fire upon us night andday." Baker Pasha felt bound to make animmediate effort for the relief of the imperilled garrison, though, with the materialat his disposal, this was by no means certain of success. No dependence whatever could be placed on the native Egyptian levies, officers andmenbeingequallyinefficient. The Turkish cavalryhad to some extentbeen got into trainingby employing them on several reconnoitring expeditions from Suakim. The black troops too from Massowuh had acquitted themselves creditably during a night attack on a zerebaseveral milesfrom the coast,butZebehr's blacks although reliable, were almost wholly untrained in the use of their rifles. As anoptimist looker-ongrimly observed, "We mayhaveachance,ifnotof victory at least of escape,if the nativo officers realize thatdrill consists not wholly in saluting, and if the rank and file do not elevate their rifles for 1500 yards when measuringto shoot for 100 paces off."

In pursuance of his plan of operations, Baker Pasha left Suakim by sea, and on January 27 landed with 1600 men at Trinkitat, about 40 miles lower down the coast, whence he counted uponmarching to Tokar.

The followingday he was joined by the remainder of the troops from Suakim, bringing up the forceunderhiscommand tonearly 4000 of all arms, whilst it was estimated that Osman Digna barred his way with at least four times that number. The harbour of Trinkitat is merely a circular bay, measuring sevenor eight miles aoross, and bisected by a peninsularunningoutabout four miles in a south-easterly