196 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

squares in front and three behind. This Arab said that 1500 men of the garrison and 2000 of the male population of the town had been slaughtered. It was also reported that the Mahdi was marching on Dongola with a vast number of followers — 85,000 was the number mentioned — and that he hoped to capture the town before the sacred month of Ramadan, which would commence in twelve days.

At any rate there were serious apprehensions that this was the intention of the false prophet, and Major Kitchener was reported to have expressed the opinion that if Dongola should fall Egypt would undoubtedly be invaded, and he should devote every effort to the holding of Dongola, as otherwise the Mahdi could penetrate Egypt without touching Assouan, where, moreover, defence would be difficult. The Mahdi, it was rumoured, had announced his intention of starting on his next pilgrimage from Cairo, and Major Kitchener was reported to have said : " I find the position much more serious than I imagined when I arrived. If the British troops go to Suakim and Berber they may reach Khartum about the time when the Mahdi reaches Cairo. They should go by this route."

At that time the great protection against the rebels was the length of the 10-days' desert journey from Berber, while the defences made by the disposition of the troops were represented by 300 Egyptian soldiers, two English officers, two English sergeants, and one Gatling gun at Wady Haifa, where the force was to be at once augmented by the addition of another company of infantry.

At Korosko there were three companies, with three English officers. At Assouan there were 1000 men and six cams, with four English officers. Other troops were rapidly being towed up the river.

Between the Nile at Korosko and the Red Sea at Mereashab the frontier line of Upper Egypt was guarded by 1500 Bedouins, recruited by Majors Kitchener and Rundle. These Bedouins were taken from the three great sections of the Ababdeh tribe — the Ashabah, the Fagalla, and the Aboudeein — and had been so placed that each sub-tribe guarded its own territory. Some 140 of the Fagallas were stationed at Abu Benhah, at three hours' distance