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CONTENTS.
I. HALFA TELLS ITS STORY.
The romance of the Sudan in brief-The rise of the Mahdi-The
second act of the drama-The first Anglo-Egyptian strategi-
cal victory-The defeat of Nejumi-The turning-point of
the drama-Convict labour-The taming of the Sudan-The
cemetery
PAGE
. 1
II. THE EGYPTIAN ARMY.
The growth of sixteen years-The smallest and best paid of
conscriptive armies-The Sudanese battalions-A perennial
schoolboy-Inconstant warriors-Polygamy-Uniform and
equipment Cavalry and artillery - British officers and
native troops-The merits of "Sergeant Whatsisname❞—A
daily heroism-Bey and Bimbashi-Rapid promotion-One
of the highest achievements of our race
11
III. THE S.M.R.
The deadliest weapon against Mahdism-An impossibility real-
ised-A heavy handicap-The railway battalions-Arab
views on mechanics-Engines of shreds and patches-
Bimbashi Girouard—An engineering triumph—A subaltern
with £2000 a-year-Saloon passengers-A journey through
the desert-A desert railway station
IV. THE CORRESPONDENT'S PROGRESS.
An outcast in the Sudan-The significance of a "line of com- munications"-The old and the young campaigner-A varied equipment The buying of camels—An energetic beast—A doubtful testimonial-A waiting game-A hurried depar- ture-A happy thought
31
V. I MARCH TO BERBER.
The hiring of donkeys-Arab deliberation-A wonderful horse
-The procession starts-The luxury of angarebs-A dis-
reputable caravan-Four miles an hour-The desert tread-
mill-A camel ride to Berber
39
VI. THE SIRDAR.
Irrelevant details-The Sudan Machine-The harvest of fifteen
years-A stroke of genius-An unsuccessful enterprise-A
diplomatic skirmish with the Khedive-Swift, certain, and
relentless-A stern regime-A well-trusted general-A legi-
timate ambition-The Anglo-Egyptian Mahdi
45
VII. ARMS AND MEN.
Major-General Hunter-The sword-arm of the Egyptian Army
-A nineteenth-century crusader-An officer renowned for
bravery-A possible new national hero-Lieut.-Col. Hector
Macdonald-Lieut.-Col. Maxwell - Lieut.-Col. Lewis -
Lieut. Col. Broadwood-Lieut.-Col. Long-General Gatacre
-The soldier's general-Arab notions about figures-Osman
Digna-Colonel Wingate
53
VIII. IN THE BRITISH CAMP.
A great march under difficulties--A gunner's adventure-The
boot scandal-Official explanations and admissions-Making
the men hard-The general's morning ride-The camp in a
dust storm-A badly chosen site
66
IX. FORT ATBARA.
Dinner in the Egyptian camp-Under a roof again—A sand-
storm-The Fort-A revelation of Egyptian industry-The
Egyptian soldiers on fatigue duty-A Greek café—The gun-
boat fleet-Crossing the Fourth Cataract-The value of the
gunboats-War, blockade-running, and poaching combined.
ix
75
X. THE MARCH OUT.
The beginning and end of the Berber season-A palatial house
-Berber, old and new-The value of angarebs-The appre-
hensions of the Greek merchants-A splendid black battalion
-The crossing of the luck token-"Like the English, we
are not afraid "—A flattering belief
85
XI. THE CONCENTRATION.
The restrictions laid on correspondents-Loading the camels-
Arab ideas of time-Impartial stupidity of the camel-Peri-
patetic Christmas trees-The brigade on the march-The
result of General Gatacre's methods - Zariba building-
Counting the dervishes from a watch tower-A daring feat
of a gunboat
-
XII. AT KENUR.
An ideal residence for correspondents-Arrival of the Seaforths
-Daily manoeuvres-A stately spectacle-Native ideas of
distance and number .
92
100
XIII. ON THE ATBARA.
A veritable paradise-Sambo and the dom-nuts-A land without
life-A cavalry skirmish-A strong reconnaissance-A false
alarm-The real enemy-The want of transport begins to be
felt-What officers had to put up with-Dervish deserters-
A bold stroke
105
XIV. THE RAID ON SHENDI.
The virtues of bottled fruits-A liquor famine-The Sudan
Greek's commercial instincts-A Nansen of trade-Inter-
rupted festivities at Shendi-A speedy victory-The Jaalin's
revenge-The vicissitudes of married life in the Sudan-The
cook's grievance.
116
XV. REST AND RECONNAISSANCES.
Mahmud stale-mated--The Egyptian cavalry-Dispiriting work
-General Hunter's reconnaissance-Mahmud marked down
-Rumours and surmises-Reasons for storming the zariba 124
XVI. CAMEL-CORPS AND CAVALRY.
Camel-corps luck-Distant firing-The hall-mark of the Sudan
-The second and third class passengers of the desert-
Traces of a dervish raid—A cavalry fight—The vindication of the Egyptian trooper-A cheerful camp
131
XVII. THE BATTLE OF THE ATBARA.
A march by moonlight-Twelve thousand men move forward—
The first gun-An hour and twenty minutes' bombardment
-The Camerons' advance-A rain of fire-The zariba de-
molished-A wild confusion of Highlanders-"A very good
fight"-How our blacks fought-A masterpiece of a battle 140
XVIII. LOSSES AND GAINS.
From boys to men-Mahmud and the Sirdar-The Camerons'
losses-Crossing the trenches-General Gatacre's bugler-
Hair-breadth escapes-A cheap victory-The Khalifa's losses
-The Baggara cavalry-Ferocious heroism-Counting the
dead---Perfect strategy
152