Taking advantage of this discontent, General Hicks was trying to open communications with the last-mentioned, and hoped to arrange a meeting at Dem.
26th March.
Proclamation of Al-ed-Deen Pasha as Governor-General of the Soudan.
On the 26th March Al-ed-Deen Pasha was publicly proclaimed at Kartoum as Governor-General of the Soudan, and, on the same day, Hussein Pasha left for Sennaar to inform Abdel Kader Pasha of his removal from office, and to relieve him of his military command.
1883.
General Hicks and his Staff left Kartoum on the 3rd April by steamer, and reached Kawa on the 6th. A force of about 5000 men had been collected at the latter place, consisting of—
| 5½ | battalions of regular infantry,[318] |
| ½ | battalion of negroes, |
| 5 | guns, |
| 2 | Nordenfeldts, and |
| some Bashi-Bazouks. |
10th April. Reconnaissance up the White Nile.
On the 10th April General Hicks made a reconnaissance up the river. He started at 6 a.m. on the steamer Bordeen, taking with him one mountain gun, two Nordenfeldts, and 50 Bashi-Bazouks. After proceeding for about an hour and a-half, the steamer was fired on from the western bank. Higher up shots were fired from many places, especially opposite the island of Abba, where the rebels had constructed trenches along the banks. But a few shells, and some rounds from the Nordenfeldts and rifles, soon drove them inland. Owing to the failure of fuel, the reconnaissance could not be continued as far as the ford of Abu-Zed. The steamer returned to Kawa at 5.30 p.m.
1883.