The first three days' journey passed without any adventure. From the
natives who still remained in the little villages they passed, they
learned that the report that the Dervishes had left Berber was
generally believed; but whether they had marched for Metemmeh, or for
some other point, was unknown. The people were delighted to see the
gunboat; as, until its arrival, they had been in hourly fear of raiding
parties. They had heard of the capture of Abu Hamed, by the British,
from horsemen who had escaped; but all these had said, confidently,
that Mahmud would speedily drive them out again; and they had been in
hourly fear that the Dervishes would swoop down upon them, and carry
off the few possessions still remaining to them.
When within thirty miles of Berber the Arabs had halted on the bank,
watching the gunboat as, with great difficulty, it made its way up a
cataract. Suddenly it was seen to stop, and a great bustle was observed
on board. An exclamation of grief burst from the Arabs.
"She has struck on a rock!" Ahmed Bey exclaimed.
"I am afraid she has," said Gregory; who had, all along, ridden by his
side at the head of the party. "I am afraid so. I hope she is not
injured."
Unfortunately, the damage was serious. A hole had been knocked through
her side, under water, and the water poured in, in volumes. A rush was
made by those on board; and beds, pillows, and blankets were stuffed
into the hole. This succeeded, to some extent, and she was brought
alongside the bank.
The sheik and Gregory went down to meet her. General Hunter came to the
side.
"A large hole has been knocked in her," he said, to the sheik. "We
shall have to get the guns and stores on shore, to lighten her; and
then heel her over, to get at the hole. It will certainly take two or
three days; by that time, I hope, the other gunboat will be up.
"In the meantime, you must go on to Berber. I think there can be no
doubt that the Dervishes have all left, but it is most important that
we should know it, for certain. You must push straight on, and as soon
as you arrive there, send word on to me by the fastest camel you have.
If you are attacked, you will, of course, defend yourselves. Take up a
position close to the river, and hold it until you are relieved. If you
can send off news to me by a camel, do so; if not, seize a boat--there
are some at every village--and send the news down by water. I will come
on at once, with everyone here, to assist you."
"I will do as you order," the sheik said; "and if you see us no more,
you will know that we died as brave men."
"I hope there is no fear of that," the General said, cheerfully. "You
will defend yourselves as brave men if you are attacked, I am sure; but
as I am convinced that the Dervishes have left Berber, I think there is
little fear of your falling in with them."
Then he went on, in English, to Gregory.
"Keep them moving, Mr. Hilliard. Let them go as fast as they can. They
are less likely to get nervous, if they are riding hard, than they
would be if they dawdled along. If they press their camels, they will
be in Berber this afternoon. See that a man starts at once, to bring me
the news."
"Very well, sir. I will keep them at it, if I can."
The sheik rejoined his band, which gathered round to hear the result of
his interview with the white general.
"The steamer is injured," he said, "but she will soon be made right,
and will follow us. We are to have the honour of going on and occupying
Berber, and will show ourselves worthy of it. There is little chance of
our meeting the Dervishes. Had they been in Berber, we should have
heard of them before this. If we meet them we will fight; and you, Abu,
who have the fastest camel among us, will ride back here at all speed,
and the General and his soldiers will come up to help us.
"Now, let us not waste a moment, but push forward. In five hours we
shall be at Berber; and throughout your lives, you will be proud to say
that you were the first to enter the town that the Dervishes have so
long held."
A few of the men waved their guns, and shouted. The rest looked grave.
However, they obeyed their chief's orders, and the cavalcade at once
started. As they did so, Gregory drew his horse up alongside Zaki.
"Look here," he said, "if we see the Dervishes coming in force, I shall
come to you, at once. You shall take my horse, it is faster than yours.
I shall give you a note for the General, and you will ride back at full
gallop, and give it to him. The horse is fast, and there will be no
fear of their catching you, even if they chase; which they will not be
likely to do, as they will be thinking of attacking us."
"Very well, master. I will do as you order me, but I would rather stop
and fight, by your side."
"That you may be able to do some other time, Zaki. This time, you have
got to fetch aid."
Then he rode on to join the chief. There was no talking along the line,
every man had his rifle unslung and in his hand, every eye scanned the
country. Hitherto, they had had unlimited faith in the power of the
gunboat to protect them; now that they might have to face the Dervishes
unaided, they felt the danger a serious one. They had come to fight the
Dervishes, and were ready to do so, in anything like equal numbers; but
the force they might meet would possibly be greatly stronger than their
own--so strong that, although they might sell their lives dearly; they
would, in the end, be overpowered.
For the first three hours, the camels were kept going at the top of
their speed; but as they neared Berber, there was a perceptible
slackness. Ahmed Bey and Gregory rode backwards and forwards along the
line, keeping them together, and encouraging them.
"We shall get in without fighting," the Bey said. "We should have heard
before this, had they been there. Do you think that they would have
remained so long in the town, if they had learned that there are but
two hundred of us, and one steamer? Mahmud would never have forgiven
them, had they not fallen upon us and annihilated us. I only hope that
two hundred will have been left there. It will add to our glory, to
have won a battle, as well as taken the town. Your children will talk
of it in their tents. Your women will be proud of you, and the men of
the black regiments will say that we have shown ourselves to be as
brave as they are.
"We will halt for half an hour, rest the camels, and then push on at
full speed again; but mind, you have my orders: if you should see the
enemy coming in force, you are to ride at once to the river bank,
dismount, and make the camels lie down in a semicircle; then we have
but to keep calm, and shoot straight, and we need not fear the
Dervishes, however many of them there may be."
After the halt they again pushed forward. Gregory saw, with pleasure,
that the Arabs were now thoroughly wound up to fighting point. The same
vigilant watch was kept up as before; but the air of gloom that had
hung over them, when they first started, had now disappeared; each man
was ready to fight to the last. As the town was seen, the tension was
at its highest; but the pace quickened, rather than relaxed.
"Now is the moment!" the Bey shouted. "If they are there, they will
come out to fight us. If, in five minutes, they do not appear; it will
be because they have all gone."
But there were no signs of the enemy, no clouds of dust rising in the
town, that would tell of a hasty gathering. At last, they entered a
straggling street. The women looked timidly from the windows; and then,
on seeing that their robes did not bear the black patches worn by the
Dervishes, they broke into loud cries of welcome.
"Are the Dervishes all gone?" Ahmed Bey asked, reining in his camel.
"They are all gone. The last left four days ago."
The sheik waved his rifle over his head; and his followers burst into
loud shouts of triumph, and pressed on, firing their muskets in the
air. As they proceeded, the natives poured out from their houses in
wild delight. The Arabs kept on, till they reached the house formerly
occupied by the Egyptian governor.
"I should say that you had better take possession of this, Bey. There
seems to be a large courtyard, where you can put your camels. It is not
likely that the Dervishes will return, but it is as well to be
prepared. The house is strong, and we could hold out here against a
host, unless they were provided with cannon.
"I have money, and you had better buy up as much food as possible, so
that we could stand a siege for some time. I shall give my horse a good
feed and an hour's rest, and then send my man down to the General,
telling him that the Dervishes have deserted the town, and that we have
taken possession of the place, and can defend it for a long time should
they return."
An hour later, Zaki started with Gregory's report. The inhabitants,
finding that they would be paid, brought out their hidden stores; and
by evening, enough was collected to last the garrison ten days.
Zaki returned at noon next day, with a letter from General Hunter to
the sheik, praising him highly for the energy and courage of his men
and himself. He also brought a note for Gregory, saying that he hoped
to get the repairs finished the next day; and that he expected, by that
time, the other two steamers would be up, when he should at once
advance to Berber.
On the third day the smoke of the steamers was seen in the distance;
and an hour later the gunboats arrived, and were greeted with cries of
welcome by the natives, who thronged the bank. The three boats carried
between three and four hundred men. These were disembarked on an
island, opposite the town, and the gunboats moored alongside.
General Hunter at once landed, with those of his staff who had
accompanied him. He shook hands, very cordially, with the sheik.
"You have done well, indeed!" he said. "It was a dangerous enterprise
and, had I not known your courage, and that of your men, I should not
have ventured to send you forward. You have fully justified my
confidence in you.
"In the first place, I will go and see the house you have occupied. I
shall leave you still in possession of it, but I do not intend that you
should hold it. In case Mahmud comes down upon you, at once embark in
boats, and cross to the islands. It will be some time before I can
gather, here, a force strong enough to hold the town against attack.
Indeed, it will probably be some weeks; for, until the railway is
finished to Abu Hamed, I can only get up stores sufficient for the men
here; certainly we have no transport that could keep up the supply for
the whole force. However, all this will be settled by the Sirdar, who
will very shortly be with us."
It was now the 6th of September and, the same afternoon, two gunboats
were sent up to Ed Damer, an important position lying a mile or two
beyond the junction of Atbara river with the Nile. On the opposite bank
of the Nile, they found encamped the Dervishes who had retired from
Berber. The guns opened fire upon them, and they retired inland;
leaving behind them fourteen large boats, laden with grain. These were
at once sent down to Berber, where they were most welcome; and a
portion of the grain was distributed among the almost starving
population, nearly five thousand in number, principally women and
children.
Supplies soon began to arrive from below, being brought up in native
craft, from Abu Hamed, as far as the cataract; then unloaded and
carried up past the rapids on camels; then again placed in boats, and
so brought to Berber. Macdonald's brigade started a fortnight after the
occupation, their place at Abu Hamed having been taken by a brigade
from Kassinger, each battalion having towed up boats carrying two
months' supply of provisions.
A fort was now erected at the junction of the two rivers, and occupied
by a small force, under an English officer. Two small steamers were
employed in towing the native craft from Abu Hamed to Berber. Still, it
was evident that it would be impossible to accumulate the necessary
stores for the whole force that would take the field; accordingly, as
soon as the railway reached Abu Hamed, the Sirdar ordered it to be
carried on as far as Berber. He himself came up with Colonel Wingate,
the head of the Intelligence Department; and, diligently as all had
worked before, their exertions were now redoubled.
On the morning after the Sirdar's arrival, an orderly came across to
General Hunter's quarters, with a request that Mr. Hilliard should at
once be sent to headquarters. Gregory had to wait nearly half an hour,
until the officers who had been there before him had had their
audience, and received their orders. He was then shown in.
"You have done very valuable service, Mr. Hilliard," the Sirdar said.
"Exceptionally valuable, and obtained at extraordinary risk. I
certainly did not expect, when I saw you a few months ago in Cairo,
that you would so speedily distinguish yourself. I was then struck with
your manner, and thought that you would do well, and you have much more
than fulfilled my expectations. I shall keep my eye upon you, and shall
see that you have every opportunity of continuing as you have begun."
That evening, General Hunter suggested to Colonel Wingate that Gregory
should be handed over to him.
"There will be nothing for him to do with me, at present," he said;
"and I am sure that you will find him very useful. Putting aside the
expedition he undertook to Metemmeh, he is a most zealous young
officer. Although his wound was scarcely healed, he took charge of the
baggage animals on the way up from Merawi to Abu Hamed, and came
forward here with Ahmed Bey and his followers, and in both cases he was
most useful. But at the present, I cannot find any employment for him."
"I will have a talk with him," Colonel Wingate said. "I think I can
make good use of him. Captain Keppel asked me, this morning, if I could
furnish him with a good interpreter. He is going up the river in a day
or two, and as neither he nor the other naval officers know much
Arabic, Mr. Hilliard would be of considerable service to them, in
questioning any prisoners who may be captured as to hidden guns, or
other matters. I should think, from what you tell me, Mr. Hilliard will
be very suitable for the post."
"The very man for it. He is a very pleasant lad--for he is not more
than that--quiet and gentlemanly, and yet full of life and go, and will
be certain to get on well with a naval man."
On returning to his quarters, General Hunter sent for Gregory.
"You will please go to Colonel Wingate, Mr. Hilliard. I have been
speaking to him about you; and, as it may be months before things are
ready for the final advance, and I am sure you would prefer to be
actively employed, I proposed to him that he should utilize your
services; and it happens, fortunately, that he is able to do so. The
gunboats will be running up and down the river, stirring up the
Dervishes at Metemmeh and other places; and as neither Keppel, nor the
commanders of the other two boats can speak Arabic with anything like
fluency, it is important that he should have an interpreter.
"I think you will find the berth a pleasant one. Of course, I don't
know what arrangements will be made, or whether you would permanently
live on board one of the boats. If so, I think you would be envied by
all of us, as you would get away from the dust, and all the discomforts
of the encampment."
"Thank you very much, sir! It would indeed be pleasant, and I was
beginning to feel that I was very useless here."
"You have not been useless at all, Mr. Hilliard. The Sirdar asked me
about you, and I was able to give him a very favourable report of your
readiness to be of service, for whatever work I have found for you to
do. I have told him that I had great doubts whether Ahmed Bey would
have pushed forward to this place, after he had lost the protection of
the gunboats, if you had not been with him."
Gregory at once went to the quarters of Colonel Wingate, and sent in
his name. In two or three minutes he was shown in. A naval officer was
in the room with the colonel.
"You have come at the right time, Mr. Hilliard. I was just speaking of
you to Captain Keppel. I suppose General Hunter has told you how I
proposed utilizing your services?"
"Yes, sir, he was good enough to tell me."
"You speak both Arabic and the Negro dialect perfectly, I am told?"
"I speak them very fluently, almost as well as English."
"Just at present, you could not be of much use to me, Mr. Hilliard. Of
course, I get all my intelligence from natives, and have no occasion to
send white officers out as scouts. Otherwise, from the very favourable
report that I have received from General Hunter, I should have been
glad to have you with me; but I have no doubt that you would prefer to
be in one of the gunboats. They are certain to have a more stirring
time of it, for the next few weeks, than we shall have here."
"I should like it greatly, sir, if Captain Keppel thinks I shall do."
"I have no doubt about that," the officer said, with a smile. "I shall
rate you as a first lieutenant and midshipman, all in one; and I may
say that I shall be very glad to have a white officer with me. There
are one or two spare cabins, aft, and you had better have your traps
moved in, at once. I may be starting tomorrow."
"Shall I take my servant with me, sir?"
"Yes, you may take him if you like. I suppose you have a horse?"
"Yes, sir, a horse and a camel; but I shall have no difficulty in
managing about them. Excuse my asking, sir, but I have a few stores.
Shall I bring them on board?"
"No, there is no occasion for that. You will mess with me. Thank
goodness, we left naval etiquette behind us when we came up the Nile,
and it is not imperative that I should dine in solitary state. Besides,
you have been on Hunter's staff, have you not?"
"Yes."
"I know his staff all mess together. I shall be very glad to have you
with me. It is lonely work, always messing alone.
"My boat is the Zafir, you know. You had better come on board before
eight o'clock, tomorrow morning. That is my breakfast hour."
Gregory needed but little time to make his arrangements. The transport
department took over Zaki's horse and camel, and gave him a receipt for
them; so that, when he returned, those or others could be handed over
to him. One of the staff, who wanted a second horse, was glad to take
charge of his mount. The tent, and the big case, and his other
belongings were handed over to the stores.
Zaki was delighted, when he heard that he was going up in a gunboat
that would probably shell Metemmeh, and knock some of the Dervish
fortifications to pieces.
"What shall I have to do, master?" he asked.
"Not much, Zaki. You will brush my clothes, and make my bed, and do
anything that I want done; but beyond that I cannot tell you. I am
really taking you, not because I think you will be of much use, but
because I like to have you with me. Besides, I sha'n't have much to do,
and the English officer who commands will have plenty to look after, so
that I shall be glad to talk, occasionally, with you.
"However, as I know the gunboats carry Maxim guns, and each have two
sergeants of the marine artillery, I will hand you over to them, and
ask them to put you in the Maxim crew. Then you will have the
satisfaction of helping to fire at your old enemies."
Zaki's eyes glistened at the prospect.
"They killed my mother," he said, "and carried off my sisters, and
burned our house. It will be good to fire at them. Much better this,
bey, than to load stores at Merawi."
Gregory was much gratified, that evening after mess, at the kindly
manner in which the members of the staff all shook hands with him, and
said that they were sorry that he was going to leave them. General
Hunter was dining with the Sirdar. The next morning, when Gregory went
to say "Goodbye" to him, he said:
"I was telling Sir Herbert Kitchener, yesterday evening, that you were
transferred to the naval branch. He said:
"'The gunboats will all take up troops, and there will be native
officers on board. It is a rule in our army, you know, that all white
officers have the honorary rank of major, so as to make them senior to
all Egyptian officers. Will you tell Mr. Hilliard that I authorize him
to call himself Bimbashi? There is no occasion to put it in orders. My
authorization is sufficient. As long as he was on your staff it did not
matter; but as, presently, he may be attached to an Egyptian regiment,
it is as well that he should bear the usual rank, and it may save
misunderstanding in communicating with the natives. He will be much
more respected, as Bimbashi, than he would be as lieutenant, a title
that they would not understand.'
"A good many lieutenants in the British Army are Bimbashis, here, so
that there is nothing unusual in your holding that honorary rank."
"I would just as soon be lieutenant, sir, so far as I am concerned
myself; but of course, I feel honoured at receiving the title. No doubt
it would be much more pleasant, if I were attached to an Egyptian
regiment. I do not know whether it is the proper thing to thank the
Sirdar. If it is, I shall be greatly obliged if you will convey my
thanks to him."
"I will tell him that you are greatly gratified, Hilliard. I have no
doubt you owe it, not only to your ride to Metemmeh, but to my report
that I did not think Ahmed Bey would have ventured to ride on into
Berber, had you not been with him; and that you advised him as to the
defensive position he took up here, and prepared for a stout defence,
until the boats could come up to his assistance. He said as much to
me."
At the hour named, Gregory went on board the Zafir; Zaki accompanying
him, with his small portmanteau and blanket.
"I see you are punctual, Mr. Hilliard," the commander said, cheerily;
"a great virtue everywhere, but especially on board ship, where
everything goes by clockwork. Eight bells will sound in two minutes,
and as they do so, my black fellow will come up and announce the meal.
It is your breakfast, as much as mine; for I have shipped you on the
books this morning, and of course you will be rationed. Happily, we are
not confined to that fare. I knew what it was going to be, and laid in
a good stock of stores. Fortunately, we have the advantage over the
military, that we are not limited as to baggage."
The breakfast was an excellent one. After it was over, Commander Keppel
asked Gregory how it was that he had--while still so young--obtained a
commission, and expressed much interest when he had heard his story.
"Then you do not intend to remain in the Egyptian Army?" he said. "If
you have not any fixed career before you, I should have thought that
you could not do better. The Sirdar and General Hunter have both taken
a great interest in you. It might be necessary, perhaps, for you to
enter the British Army and serve for two or three years, so as to get a
knowledge of drill and discipline; then, from your acquaintance with
the languages here you could, of course, get transferred to the
Egyptian Army, where you would rank as a major, at once."
"I have hardly thought of the future yet, sir; but of course, I shall
have to do so, as soon as I am absolutely convinced of my father's
death. Really, I have no hope now; but I promised my mother to do
everything in my power to ascertain it, for a certainty. She placed a
packet in my hands, which was not to be opened until I had so satisfied
myself. I do not know what it contains, but I believe it relates to my
father's family.
"I do not see that that can make any difference to me, for I certainly
should not care to go home to see relations to whom my coming might be
unwelcome. I should greatly prefer to stay out here, for a few years,
until I had obtained such a position as would make me absolutely
independent of them."
"I can quite understand that," Captain Keppel said. "Poor relations
seldom get a warm welcome, and as you were born in Alexandria, they may
be altogether unaware of your existence. You have certainly been
extremely fortunate, so far; and if you preferred a civil appointment,
you would be pretty certain of getting one when the war is over.
"There will be a big job in organizing this country, after the
Dervishes are smashed up; and a biggish staff of officials will be
wanted. No doubt most of these will be Egyptians, but Egyptian
officials want looking after, so that a good many berths must be filled
by Englishmen; and Englishmen with a knowledge of Arabic and the Negro
dialect are not very easily found. I should say that there will be
excellent openings, for young men of capacity."
"I have no doubt there will," Gregory said. "I have really never
thought much about the future. My attention, from childhood, has been
fixed upon this journey to the Soudan; and I never looked beyond it,
nor did my mother discuss the future with me. Doubtless she would have
done so, had she lived; and these papers I have may give me her advice
and opinion about it."
"Well, I must be going on deck," Captain Keppel said. "We shall start
in half an hour."
The three gunboats were all of the same design. They were flat
bottomed, so as to draw as little water as possible; and had been built
and sent out, in sections, from England. They were constructed entirely
of steel, and had three decks, the lower one having loophole shutters
for infantry fire. On the upper deck, which was extended over the whole
length of the boat, was a conning tower. In the after portion of the
boat, and beneath the upper deck, were cabins for officers. Each boat
carried a twelve-pounder quick-firing gun forward, a howitzer, and four
Maxims. The craft were a hundred and thirty-five feet long, with a beam
of twenty-four feet, and drew only three feet and a half of water. They
were propelled by a stern wheel.
At half-past nine the Zafir's whistle gave the signal, and she and her
consorts--the Nazie and Fatteh--cast off their warps, and steamed out
into the river. Each boat had on board two European engineers, fifty
men of the 9th Soudanese, two sergeants of royal marine artillery, and
a small native crew.
"I expect that we shall not make many more trips down to Berber," the
Commander said, when they were once fairly off. "The camp at Atbara
will be our headquarters, unless indeed Mahmud advances; in which case,
of course, we shall be recalled. Until then we shall be patrolling the
river up to Metemmeh; and making, I hope, an occasional rush as far as
the next cataract."
When evening came on, the steamer tied up to an island, a few miles
north of Shendy. So far they had seen no hostile parties--indeed, the
country was wholly deserted.
Next morning they started before daybreak. Shendy seemed to be in
ruins. Two Arabs, only, were seen on the bank. A few shots were fired
into the town, but there was no reply.
Half an hour later, Metemmeh was seen. It stood half a mile from the
river. Along the bank were seven mud forts, with extremely thick and
solid walls. Keeping near the opposite bank, the gunboats, led by the
Zafir, made their way up the river. Dervish horsemen could be seen,
riding from fort to fort, doubtless carrying orders.
The river was some four thousand yards wide and, at this distance, the
gunboats opened fire at the two nearest forts. The range was soon
obtained to a nicety, and the white sergeants and native gunners made
splendid practice, every shell bursting upon the forts, while the
Maxims speedily sent the Dervish horsemen galloping off to the distant
hills, on which could be made out a large camp.
The Dervish gunners replied promptly, but the range was too great for
their old brass guns. Most of the shot fell short, though a few, fired
at a great elevation, fell beyond the boats. One shell, however, struck
the Zafir, passing through the deck and killing a Soudanese; and a
shrapnel shell burst over the Fatteh.
After an hour's fire, at this range, the gunboats moved up opposite the
position; and again opened fire with shell and shrapnel, committing
terrible havoc on the forts, whose fire presently slackened suddenly.
This was explained by the fact that, as the gunboats passed up, they
saw that the embrasures of the forts only commanded the approach from
the north; and that, once past them, the enemy were unable to bring a
gun to bear upon the boats. Doubtless the Dervishes had considered it
was impossible for any steamer to pass up, under their fire; and that
it was therefore unnecessary to widen the embrasures, so that the guns
could fire upon them when facing the forts, or going beyond them.
Suddenly, as all on board were watching the effect of their fire, an
outburst of musketry broke out from the bushes that lined the eastern
bank, a hundred yards away. Fortunately, the greater part of the
bullets flew overhead, but many rattled against the side. The Maxims
were instantly turned upon the unseen enemy, the Soudanese fired
volleys, and their rash assailants went at once into the thicker bush,
many dropping before they gained it.
The gunboats now steamed slowly up the river; and then, turning,
retired downstream again, shelling the enemy's position as they passed.
As they were going down they came upon a number of Dervishes, who were
busy unloading half a dozen native craft. The Maxim soon sent them
flying; and the boats, which contained horses, donkeys, grain, and
other goods, were taken in tow by the gunboats, which anchored at the
same island as on the previous night.
"Well, Bimbashi," Captain Keppel said, when the work for the day was
over, "so you have had your first brush with the enemy. What do you
think of it?"
"I would rather that you did not call me Bimbashi, Captain Keppel. The
title is ridiculous for me, and it was only given me that it might be
useful when with Egyptian or Soudanese soldiers. I should feel really
obliged, if you would simply call me Hilliard.
"I felt all right, sir, during the fight; except that I envied the
gunners, who were doing something, while I had nothing to do but look
on. It certainly made me jump, when that shell struck the boat, because
I had quite made up my mind that their guns would not carry so far, and
so it was a complete surprise to me."
"Yes, it was a very harmless affair. Still, it was good as a
preparation for something more severe. You have got accustomed to the
noise, now, and that is always as great a trial to the nerves as actual
danger."
"I wish I could be doing something, sir. Everyone else had some duty,
from yourself down to the black firemen--even my servant made himself
useful, in carrying up shot."
"I tell you what I will do, Mr. Hilliard. I will get those marine
sergeants to instruct you in the working of the Maxim, and in the
duties of the men attending on it. Then next time we come up, I will
put you in command of one of them. Your duties will not be severe, as
you would simply direct the men as to the object at which they are to
aim, watch the effect and direction of the bullets, and see that they
change their aim, as circumstances may direct. The black gunners are
well trained, and know their work; still, if by any chance the gun
jams, it will be useful for you to be able to show them what to do;
even though they know it as well as, or better than, you do yourself.
The blacks like being commanded by a white officer, and will feel
pleased, rather than otherwise, at your being appointed to command
their gun. Your lessons cannot begin for a day or two, for I have not
done with Metemmeh, yet."
"I am very much obliged to you, indeed," Gregory said warmly. "I will
take care not to interfere with the men's working of the gun."
"No, you will not have to do that; but a word or two of commendation,
when they make good practice, pleases them immensely; and they will
work all the better, and faster, for your standing by them."
At daybreak next morning the gunboats went up again, and engaged the
forts, as before. The Dervishes had placed more guns in position, but
again the shells fell short, while those of the boats played havoc with
the enemy's defences. Some ten thousand of the Dervish horse and foot
came down near the town, in readiness to repel any attempt at a
landing.
After some hours' bombardment, the gunboats retired. As they steamed
away, the Dervish host were shouting and waving their banners,
evidently considering that they had won a great victory.
Having fulfilled their object, which was to retain Mahmud at Metemmeh
by showing him that, if he advanced against Merawi and Dongola, we had
it in our power to occupy the town; and so cut off his retreat, and
prevent reinforcements or stores from reaching him from Omdurman, the
gunboats returned to Berber.
So far, Gregory had had no duties to perform in his capacity of
interpreter, for no prisoners had been taken. On the way down the
river, one of the artillery sergeants explained the working of the
Maxim to him, taking the weapon to pieces, and explaining to him how
each part acted, and then showing him how to put it together again. 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. The country
was found to be absolutely deserted, neither a peasant nor a Dervish
being visible. Having thus accomplished the object of their
reconnaissance, the flotilla returned, exchanged fire with the Metemmeh
batteries, and then kept on their way down to Berber.