A PATROL ON THE ATBARA. 
ever possible, by signals, using the whistle and the signals in the 
Field Artillery Drill book for the purpose. I did this because the 
words of command in the Egyptian army are Turkish and to adopt 
them would mean teaching myself as well as the Arabs—a long busi¬ 
ness—whereas in a short time by the method I adopted, I was able 
to manoeuvre my command to my satisfaction. About half of the 
irregulars, however, were away on outpost and convoy duty for some 
time after my arrival and it was not until about April 5th that I got 
them all together. Then there were their pay and ration accounts to 
be got square, their arms and equipments to be examined and put 
right so far as the resources of Kassala would allow. Waterskins 
were bought and prepared for use, out of funds supplied by Colonel 
Parsons, and all the waterbottles (canvas, Italian pattern) in Kassala 
bazaar were bought up and supplied to the men on payment. They, 
however, only ran about one per three men. I also turned my attention 
to the slavery department camels and endeavoured to make them 
more serviceable. They had old pattern saddles which looked as if 
they had been stuffed purposely to give sore backs, and they invariably 
did give sore backs when out on a few days patrol. After taking out 
half the stuffing of the upper part of the panels, there were no more 
sore backs except when saddles were carefully put on wrong side fore¬ 
most, which an Arab will sometimes do in the darkness. In short, 
everything possible was done to render the command available to start 
for anywhere at the shortest notice and in the most efficient condition 
it was possible, under the circumstances, to bring them. 
The most serious drawback at Kassala, was the want of transport. 
For all expeditions of any importance, it had been necessary to impress 
camels from the caravans which were constantly arriving from Keren 
and from Suakim, but if there didn't happen to be any caravans in 
Kassala at the time it was necessary to start off an expedition, there 
was nothing to fall back on beyond the thirty or forty serviceble slavery 
camels and any odd private ones which could be swept up round 
Kassala. 
We were sitting at dinner on the night of 11th April, when news 
arrived by wire from the Sirdar, of his victory over Mahmoud on the 
Atbara on the 8th. This wire was soon followed by another, ordering 
measures to be taken to intercept fugitives from the battle, who were 
supposed to be making for Abu Delek or Gedarif. After a short dis¬ 
cussion, Colonel Parsons very soon settled that I was to take one com¬ 
pany of the Arab battalion—a regular force taken over from the 
Italians—and all the efficient irregulars and proceed to attack a 
Dervish post called Hera, about 90 to 100 miles west of Kassala and 
situated between Abu Delek and Gedarif. From that point I could 
act in either direction as circumstances demanded. It was not thought 
probable that the Dervishes would venture to pass so near Kassala as 
they would have to do if they kept to the Atbara valley en route for 
Gedarif. The latter place, moreover, held as it was by Ahmed Fedil 
with 4,500 men was too strong to be tackled by any force which could 
then be spared from Kassala, whereas Rera was reported to be held 
