ombay Sappers. Associated with Colonel
Merewether were Colonel Phayre, Quartermaster-General of the Bombay
Army, and Colonel Wilkins, of the Royal Engineers.

The first work of importance was the construction of a landing-pier, the
beach being too gradually shelving to allow of landing without it. In a
short time a pier was run out for 300 yards, where there was a depth of
five feet at low-water spring tides, and a tramway was laid down from
its head to some way up the beach, for bringing up stores. Wells were
also dug, and the surrounding country carefully examined for water.
Exploring expeditions were also made for a considerable distance, under
a blazing tropical sun overhead, through a wild and unknown region. On
the 21st of October, the advance brigade arrived, under command of
Colonel Field. H.M.S. _Satellite_ also reached the bay, with apparatus
for condensing sea-water, and she and other, steamers were able in a
short time to produce 32,000 gallons a day, which was conveyed on shore
by pipes raised on trestles above the sea. Officers also were sent in
all directions to purchase mules and other beasts of burden for the
transport service. A friendly understanding was soon established with
the Shoho tribes, who gladly undertook to furnish guides and to convey
stores into the interior. Friendly relations were also established with
several powerful chiefs then in rebellion against Theodore, and who
gladly offered all the assistance in their power. Sir Charles Staveley
now arrived with a brigade which had been embarked at Scinde, under
Brigadier-General Collins, consisting of the 33rd Regiment, the G 14
Armstrong battery of six 12-pounder guns, under Captain Murray, the
Beloochee regiments, and 3rd Scinde Horse. On the 3rd of January 1868,
Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier, Commander-in-Chief of the
expedition, arrived on board H.M.S. _Octavia_. He expressed his
satisfaction at the progress made by the expedition, which had now
obtained a firm footing on the highlands of Abyssinia. A convenient
port had been established on the desert shore; a road for cart traffic
had been formed through a difficult mountain pass; the most determined
robbers, the Shohos, had been turned into useful assistants; and an
advance force had already gained the Abyssinian plateau, and friendly
relations had been secured with the principal chiefs ruling over the
territories up to Magdala itself. It must be understood that some t