Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 137.djvu/185

1885.] paired this morning. Resumed march 7 A.M., and made good progress towards the upper gate; tracking difficult, but the two companies worked well together, and all were through by nightfall, though not without some ugly bumps. Drew six days' rations from the Commissariat depot here.

13th Nov. – Morning spent in severe tracking, but about 1 P.M. came upon a good reach, and did an hour's sailing, enabling the men to eat their mid-day biscuit in the hoats. Sighted the island of Makanassa, and tracked again. No. 46 knocked a hole in her bottom, – an unlucky boat. To-morrow should see us at Tangour.

14th Nov. – With a fine fair breeze ran the remaining distance to Tangour in the forenoon, and came up with the two leading companies of the half battalion. Must wait till they are out of the way. During this halt, I walked to the remains of the steamer Ghizeh, the larger of two which the naval people took up-stream; found her in a bay of the east bank, lying on her starboard side at the foot of the black rocks – a total wreck.

16th Nov. – Head of Tangour cataract, and well over a nasty piece of water. The stream here runs furiously for a quarter of a mile, but the haul is straight: men distributed along its length, passed the boats up – only lightened of arms, ammunition, and accoutrements – in rapid succession. One boat capsized through a slack rope, but lost little: her two occupants, Canadians, scrambled with much dexterity on to the keel. Another boat, promptly manned, put off and succeeded in bringing-to the first in a backwater, righting and returning with her to her station; but, it was then too late for further operations, and the work was only to-day completed.

18th Nov. – A bad start yesterday morning: little or no wind; progress slow and laborious, with frequent bits of hard tracking. At starting rumour reached us of the death of General Gordon, and its effect upon the men was apparent and immediate.

Camped as usual at sundown. A few natives came up with dates for sale and goats' milk, but the country here evidently produces little of any kind. Difficult to estimate distance traversed.

Off this morning with a light wind. One of my Canadians sick, henceforward a passenger. Stuck at a rapid with four other boats, and encamped at sundown. Country fierce, desolate, and bare. Many of the men suffer from sores on the hands, which the flies and sand aggravate.

19th Nov. – Camp Kalut, south of Akasheh rapid, which we reached at noon this day. Channel narrow, and rush of water strong; all but one boat through uninjured. Took in three days' rations from the Commissariat depot, and proceeded over a fine reach of smooth water, terminating in an abrupt bend to the southward, when the shores assume their present stern and bold aspect. Our tents are in a palm-grove, and the boats in a snug backwater below.

20th Nov. – Off at sunrise with sail and oar. Long fine reaches, banks strong and precipitous. At 11 A.M. came up with the preceding company entering the Dal cataract – the Devil's own. The two companies now worked together, and by dusk had made fair progress up the east bank; the western channel found impassable at this season.

21st Nov. – Fell in at 7 A.M., and during the day successfully passed