Half an hour later the General came out, and without delay started with the staff, Captain Fitton remaining behind to see that the rest of the stores were sent off, and a small tent for the use of the General.

All heavy packages were to be taken up by water.
The arrival of the General at Kassinger excited no surprise, as he had ridden over the day before; but when, in the afternoon, orders were issued that the camels should all be laden, in preparation for a march that evening; the Soudanese could with difficulty be restrained from giving vent to their exuberant joy that, at length, their long halt was at an end, and they were to have another chance of getting at the enemy.
A large train of camels had been quietly collected at Kassinger, sufficient to carry the necessary supplies for the use of the column, for some three weeks' time; and it was hoped that, before long, the gunboats and many of the native craft, with stores, would join them at Abu Hamed.
The force started at sunset.

The distance to be travelled was a hundred and eighteen miles, and the road was a very difficult one.

The ground rose steeply, almost from the edge of the river; and at times had to be traversed in single file.
As night came on, the scene was a weird one.

On one side the rocky ascent rose, black and threatening.