Revolution in the Bahr-el-Ghazal. 185 proprietors of tlie seribe "who had their famihes at Khartoum, or who were in Suleiman's camp, would certainly accept proposals made by Ziber Pasha's relations. Gordon agreed to their proposal, and ordered them to be ready to embark, first signing their declaration on the eve of my departure.

My last instructions regarding the troops on which I might calculate ran as follows : — At Khartoum, soldiers and subalterns ... ... 40 At Fashoda I Avas to take two companie.s and ammunition ... ... ... ... ... 210 At Lado, two companies and ammunition ... ... 210 At Makraka, one company under the orders of Behit Bey 105 From Makraka, irregular troops, calculated at ... 700 At Gaba-Shambc I was to find 700 Remingtons in the magazine, at Rohl about 50u guns, and to enlist 1500 men 1500 Total Force ... 2765 Besides this scattered force of 2765 men, I also calculated on the men of the different seribe to be about 2000 The troops of Jenau Abu Muri, about ... ... llOO The troops of El Arbab 1200 And those disbanded by Idris Bey, about ... ... 500 Total ... 7565 Altogether I should have 7565 men, two rifled cannon of eight tons, and some Congreve rockets. This represented a respectable force for one expedition.

On the north of Shakka was a battalion of regular troops under the orders of Colonel Mehemet Bey, and about 2500 men of irregular troops under Saugiak Ottman Tayalla, Mussa, Wad-el-Hag, Ali Bey, Said, and others.

As soon as these received news of my arrival, they were to put themselves immediately under my orders. They were to make a demonstration towards the right flank of Suleiman, and force him to divide his forces.