300 THE STORY OF THE KHEDIVATE.

of Ismailia the route to Cairo crosses a sandy desert.

It was essential, therefore, that the invading force hould keep in touch with the sweet-water canal The railway which runs alongside the Canal was unavailable for transport purposes ; and it took a fortnight before the British forces, advancing as they did, by slow stages, owing to the intense heat, had reached the cultivated zone watered by the Nile. As we advanced, the insurgent troops kept on retiring ; and it was only when our forces had practically completed the passage of the desert that Arabi could apparently make up his mind to run the risk of actual war. Even then the resistance was half-hearted. After an unsuccessful attack on the British camp at Kassassin, the enemy entrenched themselves at Tel-el- Kebir in a strong position. On the night of the 12th of September the British forces, mustering about 13,000 men and 40 iguns, advanced on Tel-el-Kebir, the entrenchments of which were held by 26,000 Egyptian troops and 70 guns. The enemy were attacked at daybreak, and I fought fairly well while under cover. But as soon as the ■ British had scaled the parapets of their entrenchments, the insurgents broke and fled, leaving all their guns in ;the hands of the victors. Arabi was amongst the first to seek safety in flight. Our loss was 52 killed and 380 wounded, the brunt of the battle being borne by the Highlanders. The Egyptian loss was calculated at about 1 500.

With Tel-el-Kebir the campaign 'ended. Arabi caught a train at Belbeys and proceeded to Cairo,