[With Kitchener in the Soudan by G. A. Henty]@TWC D-Link book
With Kitchener in the Soudan

CHAPTER 6: Gregory Volunteers
21/43

He took notes of the arguments on both sides, and submitted them to the General for his decision.
The work would have been trifling in any other climate, but was exhausting in the sweltering heat of the day, and he was not sorry when the sun sank, and he could take off his khaki tunic and go down to the river for a swim.
One evening, as they were sitting after dinner, General Hunter said: "It is very annoying that, while these natives making their way down the country are able to tell us a good deal of what is taking place on the Nile, from Omdurman down to Metemmeh; and while we also get news of the state of things at Berber and Abu Hamed; we know nothing whatever of Mahmud's intentions, nor indeed anything of what is doing at Metemmeh, itself, since it was captured by the Dervishes and, as we heard, the whole population destroyed.
"Of course, Mahmud has the choice of three courses.

He can stay where he is, he can march his whole force to Berber, or he can advance against us here.

I don't suppose that he has any idea of the progress the railway is making from Wady Halfa.

He may have heard, and no doubt he has heard, that we are making a road of some sort across the desert in the direction of Abu Hamed; but of the capabilities of the railway he can form no idea, and may well believe that the march of an army, across what is practically a waterless desert, is a matter of impossibility.
"On the other hand, he knows that we are gathering a considerable force here; and, with his limited knowledge, doubtless supposes that we are going to cross the Bayuda desert, to Metemmeh, as the Gordon relief column did; or that, if we are not coming that way, we intend to follow the river bank up to Berber.

Unquestionably his best course, if he considers, as we may be sure he does, that the force under his command is strong enough to crush us here, would be to push across the desert, and fall upon us before reinforcements arrive.


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