38 WITH KITCHENEK IN' THE SOUDAN CHAPTEK III A TERRIBLE DISASTER I T was an anxious time for his wife after Gregory started.

He and those with him had left with a feeling of confij dence that the insurrection would speedily be put down. The |: garrison of Khartoum had inflicted several severe defeats upon the Mahdi, but had also suffered some reverses. This, however, was only to be expected, when the troops under him | were scarcely more disciplined than those of the Dervishes, ! who had always been greatly superior in numbers and in-| spired with a fanatical belief in their prophet. But with 1 British oflScers to command and British officers to drill and | discipline the troops, there could be no fear of a recurrence of these disasters. Before they started, Mrs. Hilliard had | become intimate with the wife of Hicks Pasha and those of the other married officers, and had paid visits with them to the harems of high Turkish officials. Visits were frequently exchanged, and what with these and the care of the boy her time was constantly occupied. She received letters from Gregory as frequently as possible after his arrival at Omdurman, and until he set out with the main body under the general on the way to El Obeid. Before starting he said he hoped that in another two months the campaign would be over, El Obeid recovered, and the Mahdi smashed up; and that as soon as they returned to Khartoum, . Hicks Pasha would send for his wife and daughters, : .d the other married officers for their wives, and of course she would accompany them.

\ I cannot say much for Omdurman, he wrote ; hut Khartoum is a nice place. Many of the houses there hare shady gardens. Hicks has promised to recommend mefor a majority in one of the Turkish regiments. In the intervals of my own work I have got up drill. I shall of course tell him then what \