POSITION AT GUBAT.

123

putting the camp in a state of defence whilst we had been away; and the village above, which was held by the Guards' Camel Regiment, had been made strong enough to resist any sudden attack. Unfortunately Pigott could not get away with the despatches: the guides were afraid to go with him, and neither horses nor camels were in a fit state to make a rapid journey to Abu Klea. It was therefore arranged that he should go out with the convoy next evening, ride with it to Abu Klea, and then push on to Korti by himself with the letters and despatches. Unluckily, as we afterwards heard, he lost his way, and got to Jakdul after the convoy; but thence onward he made a very rapid journey.

The position at Gubat was not a very good one, but no better could be found near at hand. At a distance of half a mile to a mile from the Nile there is a gravel terrace, and the intervening space is occu

pied by a well-cultivated plain watered by irrigation. At the end of the plain the ground falls rapidly to the river, and it was on this steeper slope that the camp was pitched. It was thus quite concealed from the land side, but exposed to an enemy on the island opposite. This latter side was guarded at first by one of the steamers, and afterwards by the Egyptians, who were placed in a small work thrown up on the island. I found Stewart had been moved into the little Tewfikiyeh' steamer, where he is more comfortable. He seemed more hopeful about himself.

Jan. 23d.-Commenced preparations for

a start at daybreak.

The first point was

to take out the Turco-Egypto-Circassian "hens," whose removal had been so strongly insisted upon by Gordon. This was no light matter, as the men were mixed up in the steamers in the most curious way, and it was difficult to rout them out. The four steamers

CREWS OF STEAMERS CHANGED. 125

which had come down were the 'Talahawiyeh,' Nashi Pasha; 'Bordein,' Abd ul Hamid Bey; 'Es Safia,' Mahmud Bey; and the 'Tewfikiyeh,' Khashm el Mus Bey. After consultation with Beresford, I determined to take the two first, as they were the largest boats, and the best protected against the heavy fire which we now knew we should have to encounter; but I was much disappointed to find from the captains that in another twelve days they would not be able to pass the cataracts. My arrangement was to place Khashm el Mus in command of the 'Bordein,' and Abd ul Hamid in command of the Talahawiyeh,' and to select crews and soldiers for them from the Sudanese on the four ships. We had also to find out the best pilots for the cataracts, and transfer them to the two ships. It was very troublesome work, and took Wortley and Gascoigne best part of the day.

By this time I knew that Omdurman

was in the Mahdi's hands, and that we should have to fight our way into Khartum; and Khashm el Mus told me there were several batteries on the river similar to those we had seen yesterday, which we should have to fight our way past: very unpleasant works to engage going up-stream. It was therefore necessary to have the engines overhauled, and as far as possible to prepare the ships for the heavy fire they would have to encounter. The engines were old and worn, but in fairly good order; the naval artificers remedied some trifling defects, and we got a pump from the Royal Engineers to replace one that had been broken. Then we had to get in a supply of wood for fuel, draw rations, &c., all taking time—so that when the arrangements were completed it was near sunset, and too late to start. We had at first made up our minds that we should get away by mid-day or soon after; but no one who has not at

tempted it can have any idea of the difficulty of getting natives to work quickly, especially when orders have to be given through interpreters. So the hours slipped by, and we failed to make a start.

The original plan was for Beresford to man two of the steamers with the Naval Brigade, mount his Gardner gun on one of them, and after overhauling them, take me to Khartum with about fifty men of the Sussex Regiment. This was now impossible all the naval officers were killed. or wounded except Beresford, who was himself unable to walk, and many of the best petty officers and seamen were also gone. Beresford offered to accompany me; but he had done himself no good by going down the river the day before, and there was every prospect of his getting worse before he was better. Besides, I felt I could not deprive the force of its only naval officer, when it was quite possible the steamers left behind