358 THE STORY OF THE KHEDIVATE.

courses, our Government resolved, notwithstanding the fall of Tokar, to make a military demonstration. The bodies of the British officers killed in the rout of El Teb still remained unburied on the desert sands ; and our troops were instructed to march on El Teb, to provide decent burial for all bodies that could be found, to rescue any fugitives who might have escaped from Tokar, and then to retire by land to Suakin. The British forces took possession of Bakers abandoned fort halfway to El Teb, and discovered, by the presence of a large Dervish force in the vicinity, that their advance further inland was likely to be opposed. The discovery was doubtless welcome to troops, in Irish phrase, " spoiling for a fight," but the commanding officers, in accordance with their instructions, felt it their duty to communicate with the insurgents, advising them to retire, and to treat with Gordon at Khartoum as to the arrangements to be concluded between Egypt and the Soudan.

The communication, if received, was never answered, and on the 28th of February the British forces continued their march on El Teb. They wen attacked by a large force of Dervishes, and aft' some hours' severe fighting, they cleared the road Tokar, brought back some hundreds of fugitives, buried all the corpses who could be in any w»-y identified. After having effected this, they proceed to Suakin, and there the expedition ended. Tm? important facts were established by this aborti expedition. The first was the extraordinary coun