The sergeant having done this several times, Gregory was then told to perform the operation himself, and the lessons continued after their arrival at Berber.
In the course of a week he was able to do this smartly; and had learned, in case of a breakdown, which parts of the mechanism would most probably have given way, and how to replace broken parts by spare ones, carried up for the purpose.
There was no long rest at Berber, and on the 1st of November the gunboats again went up the river, reinforced by the Metemmeh, which had now arrived.

Each boat, as before, carried fifty soldiers; and Major Stuart-Wortley went up, as staff officer.

The evening before starting, they received the welcome news that the railway line had, that day, reached Abu Hamed.
This time there was but a short pause made opposite Metemmeh, and after shelling the forts, which had been added to since the last visit, they proceeded up the river.

Shortly after passing the town, a large Dervish camp was seen in a valley, and this, they afterwards found, was occupied by the force that had returned from Berber.

A heavy fire of shell and shrapnel was opened upon it, and it was speedily destroyed.
The gunboats then went up as high as the sixth cataract.