Stdevnan a Pi'isoner.

321 rebels. After five days' absence from our camp, he now brought news that Suleiman had crossed the frontier into Darfour, and Avas making forced marches to Jebel Mara. His army was marching in three columns, one under the leadership of Rabi with eight hundred men, the second under Abdulgassim with four hundred, and the last commanded by Suleiman himself with eight or nine hundred men. All three chiefs had with them a number of slaves whom they bartered for oxen along the road. My force was too inferior in number to think of attacking these troops, but the least delay on my part would have compromised, not only the possession of Darfour, but also of Kordof an, the populations of which wished for nothing more than an excuse to rise in rebellion and profit by an opportunity of sacking and robbing. The common people, it is true, are content, but the chiefs are against the Grovernment, because the latter prevents them from treating their subordinates as they used to do. If the nephew of the ex-sultan of Darfour should carry the rebellion into Kordof an, it was certain that more than fifteen or twenty thousand rebels would join him.

I had not much time to refl.ect, and I gave the order to march, confident that fortune, who had smiled at me so long, would not now forsake me. But it was more than ever necessary to reach the rebels unseen, so that Suleiman might be unaware that I only commanded two hundred and seventyfive men. We marched from mid-day till late at night, and when we halted the wood was so wet that it was impossible to kindle it, while towards ten o'clock the rain had begun to fall again. As it was impossible to lie down I thought it better to continue the march, the night being also very cold. So we marched at a slow pace till morning. We halted for a short rest at break of day, but the sky was cloudy, the thunder and lightning never ceased, y