130 ANIMALS USED IN WAR. 



where they remained for three months. In September they 

 were marched 210 miles to Wady Haifa and 350 of them were 

 handed over to the 19th Hussars. This regiment then marched 

 by squadrons to Korti, 360 miles, at an average daily march of 

 16 miles, the daily ration being 61b grain and 101b dhourra 

 stalk. They arrived in good marching condition. They stayed 

 at Korti from 20th December to 7th January, 1885, received 

 8 lb. green dhourra stalk instead of dry stalk, and they 

 improved during the halt. 155 were then detailed for the 

 Desert Column moving via Gakdul Wells to Matammeh. On 

 30th December 40 horses proceeded to Gakdul, 100 miles, 

 accomplishing the distance in 63 hours. They rested there 15 

 hours, and did the return journey of 100 miles, again in 63 

 hours. Six of them accomplished the return journey in 46 

 hours, and the last 50 miles in 7i hours. There were no 

 casualties. The 155 horses, including the 40 above mentioned, 

 then proceeded on the 8th January across the Bayuda Desert 

 with General Sir Herbert Stewart's Column, and up to the 

 20th January, exclusive of one day's halt at Gakdul, their 

 career was one of 31 miles per day, with an average of 5 'to 6 lb 

 of grain and 2 gallons of water daily. They were allowed to 

 graze on every possible occasion, but the grass of the Bayuda 

 Desert is very dry and they ate little. At times they got 

 mouldy biscuits, unfit for issue to the men. When the first 

 advance on Matammeh was made they marched to the Nile 

 without having received a drop of water for 55 hours, and only 

 one pound of grain. Some 15 or 20 horses received no water 

 for 70 hours. Prom the 20th January to 14th February they 

 halted at Gubat, receiving no grain, but a ration of 10 lb dry 

 dhourra stalk or 12 lb of green bean stalk daily. Two days 

 before their return journey they received 6 lb grain daily. 

 The first 75 miles of the return journey were performed on 

 4 lb grain and 3 gallons of water, after which water was stated 

 to be plentiful, and 8 lb grain daily ration was supplied. 

 During the period 8th January to 8th March, on which date 

 they returned to Korti, the casualties were 20 killed in action, 

 19 died or destroyed from Debility and exhaustion, and 5 died 

 or destroyed from other causes. The weight carried was 

 reduced to a minimum, but averaged about 14 stones. 



