I shall have nothing to do with Slatin’s coming in here to stay, unless he has the Mahdi’s positive leave, which he is not likely to get: his doing so would be the breaking of his parole, which should be as sacred when given to the Mahdi as to any other power, and it would jeopardise the safety of all those Europeans, prisoners with Mahdi.[135]
According to all accounts, the cataract at Dar Djumna below Abou Hamed is a very small one, so I am in hopes it is a false rumour that we have lost the boat. A slave came from Faki Mustapha, saying the Mahdi is at Jura Hadra, his people suffering from sickness: many have gone back to Khordofan. All regulars have gone back, they have little grain, and people are discontented. This man brought his rifle in with him; 219 days to-day we have been boxed up; four of the principal men were allowed to be prisoners in their houses, one of these allowed a man to come to him and bribe the sentry with two dollars: this man was whipped off to the prison at once. The Sheikh el Islam let two women come to him, he was only threatened. We caught a man going over to the Arabs to-day, he had under his ordinary costume the Dervish dress. If Zubair was here he would take off heads I feel sure. I content myself with fearful threats, which they know are nothing.
October 18.—The cavalry went out towards Giraffe, and captured five female slaves! and killed three Arabs, who resisted their being taken. I own I do not feel satisfied with the killing of these men, but I suppose it is war: we lost none. The captive ladies had little to say more than the Arabs had two guns at Giraffe.
Bordeen and Husseinyeh went up the White Nile, saw no Arabs at first, but coming back Arabs got down two guns and opened fire, they killed one man and wounded another. I had warned these steamers distinctly to keep in the middle of river, and not to go near the banks. The casualities were from musketry. Arabs fired fifteen rounds (gun), Husseinyeh fired ten rounds (gun), Bordeen fired ten rounds (gun). I have stopped these steamers going up the White Nile for the future. The officer is entirely responsible for the death of this man, for I had given orders that, even if they saw cattle or boats, they were not to be enticed to the banks to get them. I never will believe in ships against land batteries, unless troops are landed, for unless a steamer can get close alongside a battery, the battery will hold its own.
October 19.—This morning, in spite of my orders not to leave the lines, Bourré must needs send out men, and the consequence was that I have a Bimbashi and six men wounded, however I think I have stopped these excursions for the future. The cavalry went out from the North Fort to Halfeyeh, and saw no one, and captured a cow!
I hope it will be remembered that with respect to white troops (Fellaheen) on board the now four steamers at Metemma, I make you a handsome present of them (officers and all), and request that if you use the steamers you will disembark those men and take them on your list, for we never wish to see them (and to have to feed them) up here again. You will be carrying out the evacuation policy!!! If you do not use the steamers, please send them back empty of these Fellaheen troops, but send me their rifles. You will soon have a fine contingent? for I have everything ready for a general discharge of Cairo débris (Bashi Bazouks, &c., &c.), the moment I hear you are really at Berber; I shall not wait to ask your leave, for I have had enough of the débris up here, and you can feed them better than we can; at any rate, they will be off my hands, and on yours. I hope it will be an understood thing that every Egyptian soldier you find belongs to you, and that you will not send him back to me. I nobly present you with them all, and then, besides that, you have the glory of living representatives of your rescuing expedition. I object and protest against (when once Egyptian soldiers come into your lines) your returning them to Kartoum. As for their pay, &c., as far as I have been able to order, it ought to be quite clear what is owed them. I have given orders enough about that subject, as Stewart knows. I include officers as well as men. I want to see them no more. Pray attend to this request![136]
The Talataween came in this evening from Shendy; reports Seyd Mahomet Osman has come to Gros Rageb with English troops. English troops are coming from Debbeh by Nile, and have passed Abou Hamed. Arabs captured two boats of Stewart’s expedition, by means of the captured steamer Fascher above Abou Hamed, which our steamers had seen getting up steam: vide my journal. I had a feeling about this that when the steamers had seen the Arab steamer Fascher getting up steam they ought to have staid and tried to prevent the pursuit. The Arabs have a gun at Shendy, which came from Berber. The English troops are only two days distant from Berber. The steamers had twenty-five wounded, they collected eleven prisoners, and captured four boats. One of our men was killed. The Towfikia lost none on going down. I am sending down the Bordeen and Talataween the day after to-morrow to Shendy, with order to leave one steamer at Shendy, and go on with the other four to Berber, and to remain in its neighbourhood. The Mansowrrah will stay at Shendy, and the Talataween, Bordeen, Saphia, and Towfikia will go towards Berber. I shall keep Ismailia and Husseinyeh here.
Statement of Troops, Arms, Ammunition, Grain, &c., in Kartoum, 19th October, 1884.
| No. of | Black Troops, Regulars | 2316 | |
| A | White | 1421 | |
| B | Cairo Bashi Bazouks | 1906 | |
| Shaggyeh | 2330 | ||
| Townspeople enrolled | 692 | ||
| —— | |||
| Total | 8665 |
A and B will be sent to Berber as soon as it is possible to find Transport, and as soon as you get to Berber.