168 
MINUTES OF PKOCEEDINGS OF 
Through the mouth of November there were few hands to unload the 
ships, though the navy were actively employed; yet a great deal was done 
by the small body already landed: a pier formed of rough stones brought 
from the other side of the bay in native boats was commenced and advanced 
several hundred feet into the water, under the superintendence of Captain 
Goodfellow, B.E., and admirable store sheds were constructed. The 
Tekondah Pass was surveyed, and our advance by the Koomaylo Pass 
to Senafe being determined on, every effort was made to improve that road. 
During the first week in December the stations in the Pass were in the 
occupation of detachments of the Pioneer Porce, and the cavalry and native 
artillery were moved to Senafe; the former had already suffered much, and 
the mortality amongst their horses continued even upon the Highlands. 
During November the equipment of the “A.” Steel Battery under Lieut. 
Nolan reached Zulla, followed on the 12th December by that of “B” Battery, 
“G-” 14th R A under Lieut. Chapman. The 10th Company, R.E., 
33rd Foot, ' ’’ landed on the 10th December, and some three or 
2 7 th Bo. N.L Beloochees, four d a y S l a t e r, the Scinde Brigade, under Brigadier- 
General Codings, arrived in the harbour, Sir Charles 
Staveley, K.C.B., having by this time assumed the command. 
The difficulty of supplying water for the animals already received had 
become excessive, yet by working the condensers on board the ships and 
conveying the water in small boats and lighters, to tanks placed just above 
the high water line, a tolerable supply was pumped twice a day into the 
drinking troughs; the slight fluctuation of the tide in the harbour allowed 
of this system being at a later date brought to great perfection, when shore 
condensers were established, one at the end of the pier, and another on an 
artificial island near the trough. 
It is almost impossible to describe the condition of the Land Transport 
Corps at this time! Hundreds of animals arriving were landed, but non¬ 
commissioned staff and muleteers could not be procured, whilst there were 
no interpreters to enable the officers to communicate with the few of the 
latter already under their orders. Spite of the efforts of individual officers, 
large numbers of mules strayed or were taken to Massowa for sale by 
deserters from the corps, while, of those tied up in the transport lines, but 
a small proportion could be led to the troughs, and many were in want of 
food; the placing of baggage animals under regimental care and the supply 
of 200 mules to the mountain batteries brought but small relief. 
Thus early in the expedition no one seemed to have realized the full 
importance of tranferring our main depot from the coast to the highlands 
at Senafe, nor, with the mortality then raging, could any one master the 
difficulty, which arose from the weight of grain it became necessary for each 
mule to carry for his own consumption during a march of eleven days, five 
of which were occupied in the return journey. I am sure that the intro¬ 
duction of what was known as the “through system” instead of the 
establishment of depots in the pass and the supply by stages lay at the root 
of the matter, the latter plan admitting of the care of a much larger number 
of animals by the few men then available. 
Something too might have been done by the temporary employment 
of a European regiment with the Land Transport Corps, while the fatigues 
of road making, &c. fell upon the native force. 
