e was no delay at the Atbara encampment. Even before the whole
of the second brigade had arrived, some of its battalions were being
despatched to Wad Hamed, the new point of concentration. This place was
a few miles north of Shabluka, and only fifty-eight miles from Omdurman.
It was evident, therefore, that the decisive moment of the three years'
war approached. The Staff, the British infantry, one squadron, the guns,
and the stores were carried south in steamers and barges. The Egyptian
division marched to Wad Hamed by brigades. The horses of the batteries,
the transport animals of the British division (about 1,400 in number),
the chargers of the officers, some cattle, and most of the war
correspondents were sent along the left bank of the river escorted by
two squadrons of the 21st Lancers and two Maxim guns.

All the thirteen squadrons of cavalry remained three days at Wad Hamed.
After the fatigues of the march we were glad to have an opportunity of
looking about, of visiting regiments known in other circumstances, and
of writing a few letters. This last was the most important, for it
was now known that after leaving Wad Hamed there would be no post or
communication with Cairo and Europe until the action had been fought and
all was over. The halt was welcome for another reason. The camp itself
was well worth looking at. It lay lengthways along the river-bank, and
was nearly two miles from end to end. The Nile secured it from attack
towards the east. On the western and southern sides were strong lines of
thorn bushes, staked down and forming a zeriba; and the north face was
protected by a deep artificial watercourse which allowed the waters of
the river to make a considerable inundation. From the bank of this work
the whole camp could be seen. Far away to the southward the white tents
of the British division; a little nearer rows and rows of grass huts and
blanket shelters, the bivouacs of the Egyptian and Soudanese brigades;
the Sirdar's large white tent, with the red flag of Egypt flying from
a high staff, on a small eminence; and to the right the grove of
palm-trees in which the officers of the Egyptian cavalry had established
themselves. The whole riverside was filled by a forest of masts. Crowds
of gyassas, barges, and steamers were moored closely together; and while
looking at the furled sails, the tangled riggings, and the tall funnels
it was easy for the spectator to imagine that this was the docks of some
popu