POSITION OF BRITISH FORCE.

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ously wounded, all the officers of the Naval Brigade killed or wounded except Beresford, who was ill, and could not walk without assistance. The force had lost more than onetenth of its numbers, and was encumbered by over 100 wounded. It was absolutely necessary to send a convoy off for provisions as soon as the camels could travel, and the horses of the 19th Hussars were too much done up to reconnoitre any distance from camp. I had every reason to believe that forces of the enemy were advancing against us from the north and south, and I could not leave the small force in its position on the Nile without ascertaining whether it was likely to be attacked. I knew that Omdurman had fallen, and that Gordon had expected Khartum to fall on Christmas-day; but I also knew that Khartum was still holding out, and I hoped that the pressure upon the town would be relieved by the large number of men sent

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down by the Mahdi to meet us, and that news of our victories would have got into Khartum, and given Gordon and his garrison fresh heart. At any rate there was nothing to show-and I questioned the commanders of the steamers carefully—that the crisis at Khartum which had been deferred from the 25th December to the 19th of January would be hurried on, or that a delay of a couple of days would make much difference.

I also considered that my first duty was to see that the small force which had been so roughly handled on its march to the Nile. was safe from immediate attack. The result of the fight at Abu Klea was known to Khashm el Mus on the evening of the 17th, and it was probably known in the Mahdi's camp and in Khartum on the 19th or 20th; I hoped this would still further delay the expected crisis. A large body of the enemy were said to be collected at Sayal, below Matammeh.

PROPOSED RECONNAISSANCE.

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It was these considerations taken together that made me undertake a reconnaissance down the river before starting for Khartum. My arrangements were that Barrow's Hussars were to reconnoitre as far as they could up the river early in the morning, and that if they sent back word to say that they could see nothing of Feki Mustafa's force, I would start down the river with two steamers and two companies of the Mounted Infantry. I sent all Gordon's Journals, &c., back on board the steamers, as I thought they would be safer there than on shore in the camp. When I got down to the new camp on the river-bank it was quite dark, and I was pretty tired.

It was now necessary to send an officer with despatches to Lord Wolseley, and I selected Pigott of the Mounted Infantry for this work. But when it came to a question of mounting him and his escort, we found that none of the horses could go, they were

so weak, and that even the camels, those long-suffering animals, required rest and food; so his departure had to be put off till the next night. Before turning in I paid a short visit to the hospital, and found all the wounded doing well, in spite of the shaking they must have had whilst being carried down to the river; Crutchley, especially, was very cheery after his amputation.

Jan. 22d.-Barrow's scouts having sent in word to say they could see no trace of an enemy, we started down the river-three steamers having got up steam instead of two. I went in the 'Talahawiyeh' with Beresford, who had to be helped on board, and was placed on a seat in the cabin, and two companies of Mounted Infantry under Major Phipps. The proper commandant was Nashi Pasha; but in consequence of what Gordon had said, I turned him out and put Khashm el Mus Bey in his place. Verner went down with Abd ul Hamid Bey

IN GORDON'S STEAMERS.

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and native soldiers in the 'Bordein,' and

the Es Safia' followed with her own captain and crew. Before starting I arranged

to return at once in case we heard heavy firing, such as would lead us to believe that the camp was being attacked in our absence.

As we steamed down past Matammeh, a few shots were fired at us from the banks, to which our men replied; but I do not think any one was hit. When we were approaching the bank near Sayal, there was some excitement, as the men on the steamers reported that there was a battery in a sakieh pit. We found it empty; the gun had probably been taken off to Matammeh. party was landed and went up to the battery, which they destroyed. It was neatly made in the excavation of an old sakieh, and in front of it was a broad sandbank. From this point there was a good view of the district round, and of the clump of palmtrees at Sayal, but we could see no trace of

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