vices to the Pasha, as he is thoroughly acquainted
with the strength, resources, and riches of all the tribes of the Nile,
from the second Cataract to Sennaar and Darfour: his horses' feet are
familiar with the sod and sand of all these countries, which he and
his freebooters have repeatedly traversed. On our march from Berber
to Shendi, I ran some risk of falling into his hands, as Shouus was
continually prowling about in our neighborhood, from the time of our
quitting Berber. Two nights before we reached Shendi, I stopped on the
route, at a village, to take some refreshment, letting the army go by
me. About an hour and a half after, I mounted my horse to follow the
troops, but, owing to the state of my eyes, I missed my way, after
wandering back-wards and forwards to find the track of the troops, about
two hours after midnight, I descried the rockets always thrown aloft
during our night marches, to direct all stragglers to the place where
the Pasha had encamped. I put my horse to his speed, and arrived there a
little before dawn.]

[Footnote 46: During the night of the 22d, I received an order from
the Pasha to precede the march of the troops, and pick out a spot near
Halfya to encamp his army on, in the European manner. Mr. Caillaud was
requested to accompany me in this duty. Mr. Caillaud candidly told me
that he was not a military man, and left the affair entirely to me. I
chose a fine position on the river, about two miles above Halfya, in the
rear of which was plenty of grass for the horses and camels. The Pasha,
however, did not choose to come so far, but pitched his camp on the low
sand flats before Halfya, near which there was no grass for the camels,
who, during the five days following, perished in great numbers. He had
undoubtedly his reasons for this, among which not the least important
was, to be near enough to Halfya to have the town within reach of his
cannon, as the Malek of Halfya had not as yet submitted. The Pasha,
however, had like to have had serious cause to repent of having taken
this position, when the river rose, and threatened to inundate his camp.
Luckily it did not reach the ammunition, otherwise we should probably
have been left without the means of defending ourselves.

This overflowing of the Nile was occasioned by the rise of the Bahar
el Abiud, which, this year at least, commenced its annual augmentation
nearly a month sooner than the Nile.]

[Footnote 47: The troops of Shouus and the