2 74 Seven Years in the Soudan.

stranger unacquainted with the counti'y, could give us no idea of the route taken by Suleiman.

As I could find no guide, I thought it prudent to scatter my troops as skirmishers to right and left of the principal path, the different groups keeping, however, in touch with one another so as to be able to re-unite in case of a fight. By this mode of procedure I hoped to become acquainted with the country and avoid the risk of leaving a nest of enemies at our backs in these unknown regions, which I believe have never been traversed before, either by Egjptian troops or the various European travellers in Africa.

It has been said by a great general, that soldiers must separate to eat and re-unite to fight. This advice is precious in every Avar, but especially in our case, among savage races, and in a country sacked by an enemy who continued to retreat, destroying everything on his way. Our skirmishers scattered in about a dozen different directions. PVom the reports they forwarded to me at intervals, I gathered that all had found traces of the ])assage of men and beasts, proving that each rebel fugitive had chosen his own path Avithout any regular order of march.

But this evidence of a disorderly retreat told us nothing about the route taken by Suleiman.

AYe Avere marching on cautiously, Avhen we perceived at a distance the glittering of a lance. I Avent straight to the spot with a feAv men, and we succeeded in capturing a Besinger armed, not only with the lance which had betrayed his presence, but Avith a carabine and a six-shooter. One of my serAants, the ex-domestic of one of Suleiman's Kedi, recognized the rcA'olver to be the property of a rebel commander called Rabi. On being questioned our prisoner told us that he had deserted tAA'o days ago, and, fearing to fall into the hands of the natiAes, he had Avandered about the whole time in