Your two hundred men, and the hundred the gunboat could land, ought to be able to make a tough fight of it, against any number of the enemy.
"How long do you think we shall be, on the way ?" "About four days.

The camels can easily travel thirty-five miles a day.
We have six days' provisions with us, in case the gunboat cannot make its way up.

Fortunately we have not to carry water, so that each camel only takes twenty pounds of food, for its rider; and forty pounds of grain, for itself.

If we were pursued, we could throw that away, as we should only have to ride to some point where the gunboat could protect us.

We could not hope to escape by speed, for the Dervishes could ride and run quite as fast as the camels could go.".