Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/294

266 detachment which will cross the desert, will partake of the plenty of the hanks of the Nile when they reach them; if they should be certain of having water only, and such forage as their cattle should he able to pick up, I apprehend that the difficulty will become so great that the operation ought not to be attempted. It is impossible that the Mamelukes in Upper Egypt can be neutral in the contest in contemplation — they must take part with the French or with us. If they take part with the French, the army will be in the situation in which I have above described it, enjoying no advantage from having reached the banks of the Nile, excepting water, and probably some forage; and it is needless to point out that if the desert is to be crossed under those circumstances care must be taken not only to send, with the body of troops which will cross, a very large proportion of provisions, but means must be adopted to add to them until the operations of this body shall have given them such a hold of the country as to leave no doubt of their steady supply of provisions. It is obvious that this will require a great number of cattle, a number much larger than the Government of India, with all the zealous exercise of their power and means, can supply; but there is another consideration connected with this subject besides the supply of cattle, and that is the means of feeding them when landed from the ships.

"Upon this point I need only call to the General's recollection the difficulties to which he has been a witness in moving large supplies of stores and provisions even in fertile, cultivated, and inhabited