It will be seen from the above table, that the average forage ration for the first 10 days was about 5 lb. to 6 lb. of grain, and 2 gallons of water, the horses performing 31 miles daily, not counting one day’s halt.
When the final advance was made on Matammeh, the horses marched to the Nile without having received a drop of water for 55 hours, and only 1 lb. of grain. Some 15 to 20 horses received no water for 70 hours.
The Halt at Gubat.
During the period, 20th January to 14th February, the horses received no grain, but were fed on dhourra stalk, or green dhourra stalk, about 8 lb. daily; two days before marching they received 6 lb. of grain.
They performed outpost and patrol duty, averaging some 8 miles daily. Under the above conditions the horses recovered from the effort made during the desert march, but many were in a weak state.
Return to Korti and Dongola.
The first 75 miles, the horses performed the whole distance on 4 lb. of grain and 3 gallons of water, the remainder of the journey water was plentiful, and the 8 lb. of grain was supplied. Two marches of over 40 miles were performed, which shows that the horses were still able to march. After two weeks’ rest at Korti, the horses marched strong and well to Dongola and other stations, receiving plenty of food and water, and after two months’ halt they were in quite as good condition as when they left Wady Haifa.
The Return March—Dongola to Wady Haifa.
On the return march to Wady Haifa the distance, some 250 miles, was performed at the average rate of some 16 miles a day, with one halt for two days.
The marching was done mostly at night, but the horses were generally exposed to a hot sun all day, as there was not much shelter for them under the palm trees.