digging wherever the ground seemed disturbed. Some skeletons were found, but they were old, and of Africans. Little or nothing of interest was discovered. There was no trace of that journal of which Gordon spoke in such high terms. Fakri Wad Etman's houses were destroyed, his sakyehs burnt, and his palm-trees cut down and set on fire his salaamlik was razed to the ground.

CHAPTER XIV.

HUELLA-THE END OF THE MONASSIR

COUNTRY.

21st Feb.

ON the night of the 21st, headquarters biv-
ouacked on the high Nile island with the
Cornwalls and Staffords, mounted troops,
and convoy.
Watch bivouacked on the left bank. Butler
reconnoitred a few miles to the front, and
reported the river very swift for about two
miles, and then again comparatively easy.
With the exception of an occasional small
village with cultivation, the open desert of
yellow sand reached to the water's edge.

The Gordons and Black

We now were about to leave the region of rocks, and to enter a country where there was breathing-space. The character of the opposition likely to be encountered was also

changed. We had no longer to fear ambuscades in ravines, or to expect to find rocky gorges held against us by ensconced riflemen. If the enemy on the right bank meant battle before our reaching Abu Hamed, he must fight us in comparatively open ground, where the discipline of our troops, and the superiority of our weapons, must tell with deadly effect; and, if report was true, we might expect here to meet the nomad Bisharin Arabs, whose tactics would probably be like those of the Hadendowas at Teb and Tamai, or the enemy encountered by Herbert Stewart. The change was a great relief; but we had also to consider that the enemy we should now encounter would consist of fresh troops, undaunted by previous defeat.

The following orders were therefore issued: "In the further advance of the column by river, every effort must be made to keep the boats well closed up, not by constant delays on the part of the leading boats to wait for the remainder, but by stren

uous exertions on the part of the crews of the boats in rear to keep up with those leading the advance. Commanding officers will impress upon all non-commissioned officers and men that the success of the expedition, and its safety while moving by river, depend mainly upon the amount of energy which they put into their work.

"The advance will be covered on the right bank by the mounted troops, who will give warning to the leading boats of any aggressive movement of the enemy. Should the officers commanding the mounted troops report the enemy advancing to attack, the leading boats will fall back on the rear boats of the leading half-battalion, and the rear half-battalion will close up. As soon as the leading half battalion is concentrated, the troops will be landed and at once formed up to meet the attack in the strongest available position. All following battalions, unless specially ordered to the contrary, will close up on the leading battalion, land, and await orders."