A LIVELY CHASE

month at Khartoum at a season when every day was precious. I reviewed the troops, about infantry, and two batteries
of artillery. The men were in fine condition, but I had no means of transport for the entire force. I therefore instructed
Djiaffer Pacha to continue his exertions in preparing vessels, so that on Dr. Higginbothams arrival he might follow with
the remaining detachment. I reviewed the irregular cavalry, about horse. These were certainly VERY irregular. Each man
was horsed and armed according to his individual notion of a troopers requirements. There were lank, half starved
horses; round short horses; very small ponies; horses that were all legs; others that were all heads; horses that had been
groomed; ho rses that had never gone through that operation. The saddles and b riddles were only fit for an old curiosity
shop. There were some with faded st rips of gold and silver lace adhering here and there; others that resembled the horse in
skeleton appearance, which had been strengthened by st rips of raw crocodile skin. The unseemly huge shovel stirrups were
rusty; the bits were filthy. Some of the men had swords and pistols; others had short blunderbusses with brass barrels;
many had guns of various patterns, from the long old fashioned Arab to the commonest double barreled French gun that
was imported. The costumes varied in a like manner to the arms and animals. Having formed in line, they now executed a
brilliant charge at a supposed enemy, and performed many feats of valour in dense clouds of dust, and having quickly got
into inconceivable confusion, they at length rallied and returned to their original position. I complimented their officer,
and having asked the governor if these brave troops represented my cavalry force, and being assured of the fact, I
dismissed them; and requested Djiaffer Pacha to inform them that I regretted the want of transport would not permit me
the advantage of their services. Inshallah (Please God) at some future time, I thus got rid of my cavalry, which I never
wished to see again. I had one good horses that I had brought from Cairo, and these together with the horses belonging to
the various officers were as much as we could convey. The flotilla was ready for the voyage. We had engaged sailors with
expedition. This was a dodge of the slave traders, who had incited the people to escape from any connection with such an
enterprise. It was supposed that without boatmen we should be unable to start. The police authorities were employed,
and by degrees the necessary crews were secured, all unwilling, and composed of the worst material. I and taken the
precaution of selecting from the two regiments a body guard of forty six men. Their numbers were equal black and white,
as I considered this arrangement might excite an esprit de corps, and would in the even of discontent prevent a coalition.
The men having been well chosen were fine examples of physique, and being armed with the snider rifle and carefully
drilled, such a body of picked troops would form a nucleus for further development, and might become a dependable
support in any emergency. This corps was commanded by an excellent officer, my aide de camp, Lieut. Colonel Abd
Kader, but owing to the peculiar light fingered character of the men, I gave it the name of The Forty Thieves. Eventually
the corps became a model of morality, and was distinguished for valour an fidelity throughout the expedition. Six
months rations were on board for all hand, in addition to the general stores of corn, and cases, bales, innumerable. On
the February, the bugles announced the departure. The troops hu rried on board their respective transports according to
the numbers painted on their sides and sails. The official partying was accomplished. I had had to embrace the governor,
then a black pacha, a rara avis in terries, and a whole host of beys, concluding the affecting ceremony with a very fat
colonel whom my arms could not properly encircle. A couple of battalions lined the shore; the guns fired the usual salute
as we started on our voyage; the flotilla, composed of two steamers, respectively of two and four horsepower, and one
sailing vessels, with a military force of about men, got away in tolerable order. The powerful current of the Blue Nile
quickly swept us past Khartoum, and having rounded the point, we steamed up the grand White Nile. The wind blew
very strong from the north, thus the entire fleet kept pace with the steamers, one of which was towing my diahbeeah, and
the other that of the colonel, Raouf Bey. Thank God we were off; thus all intrigues were left behind, and the future
would be under my own command. On reference to my journal, I find the following entry upon February, Mr.
Higginbotham, who has safely arrived at Berber with the steel steamers in sections for the Albert Nyanza, will, I trust,
be provided with vessels at Khartoum, according to my orders, so as to follow me to Gondokoro with supplies, and about
troops with four guns. My original programme agreed to by his Highness the Khedive, who ordered the execution of my
orders by the authorities arranged that six steamers, fifteen sloops, and fifteen diahbeeahs, should leave Cairo on June, to
ascend the cataracts to Khartoum, at which place Djiaffer Pacha was to prepare three steamers and five vessels to
convey troops, together with transport animals and supplies. The usual Egyptian delays have entirely thwarted my plans.
No vessels have arrived from Cairo, as they only started on August. Thus, rather than turn back, I start with a mutilated
expedition, without a SINGLE TRANSPORT ANIMAL. Having minutely described the White Nile in a former work,
The Albert Nyanza, I shall not repeat the description. In hours and ten minutes steaming we reached Fashoda, the

CONFIDENTIAL

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