hilate the river-trade, and, in a short time, lead to the total extinction of the various races who compose the population along the banks of the Nile. That the blow to commerce, with which one usually associates progress and civilisation, is to be deprecated, is undeniable; but after much and careful study of the people interested, it is hard to say how their disappearance from the scene would seriously affect the general interests of mankind.
If, however, they should be doomed to disappear, the last representatives of the race will have the satisfaction of knowing that they have witnessed a panorama on a scale never yet produced, and, what is much more in their line, that their pockets have been filled by fair means, by robbery and extortion, to an extent of which their more simple forefathers could never have even dreamt. And what scenes have been enacted on this mysterious river of theirs, in which so many of our men have found a watery grave! – scenes which must ever remain present to the memory of both actors and spectators, though to many the quick succession of events has almost obliterated each succeeding incident. The few weeks of hurried preparations while stations were being formed, and commanders and staff on the line of communications were being posted, although an all-important period, were as a lull before the storm compared with the rush which followed. It was during that lull, in the months of September and October, that, had a little more warning of what was required been given, and had a few more native boats been ready and camel transport provided, the great and what might have been fatal crush which followed would have been to a great extent mitigated; moreover, the pressure which might fairly have been expected to paralyse (though it fortunately failed to do so) the various authorities in charge of cataracts up the river, could have been thereby lessened or avoided.
While man did all he could, Nature would sometimes shirk her part; and the frequent failure of the strong north wind, so essential to the progress of the whalers, multiplied a hundredfold the labour of those concerned, and seriously retarded the concentration of the force at Debbeh and Korti. Few people who thus saw and shared in the strain put upon our soldiers will readily forget that time. The toils accomplished and the difficulties overcome should increase our self-respect; and though wiser heads than those who planned it foretold disaster, and pointed out the more practical means to further the end in view, yet even the partial accomplishment of such an undertaking – after eliminating its melodramatic element – may claim a certain precedence in the achievements of the century.
If the chronicle of the campaign is ever written – and with such a legion of correspondents at the scene of war one may fairly expect this to be done – it will be curious to note whether the importance of the bravely fought actions at Abu Klea and Metammeh, or the extraordinary and successful organisation of the 1500 miles of communication, is submitted to the consideration of posterity as the greater feature of the campaign. It may be said that battles have been fought before; but certainly never in the annals of warfare has the fighting force been supplied in such a manner. On a navigable river this would
