The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-27
THE SANDS OF THE SOUDAN.
The Terrible Marchof the British Troops
from KOrti to Gakdul Wells.
A Thirsty Army Making Rush for the
Lonely Wells in the Vast Desert-Sad
Funeral of Dead COmrade.
R6rti letter in New York World

must begin where l left eff and tell you all about
il. oily last letter was from Dongola / was
there hurrying on to this place. 1 was ordered
TO join the Sussex Regiment, and to take part in
the march across the desert from Korti to Me-
temneh. On the evening of Jan. Z reached this
place. and at 3 o'clock the following afternoon
we were all paraded in the desert, preparatory
for the grim work which we knew lay before US.
The pebble-strewed sand glistened in the sun
light as it stretched its jagged sky line before u.s.
and the wondering Bengalese and Egyptians who
came out to see US march away, audibly predict
cd fatal termination for our expedition. A
small detachment of hussars under Col
onel Barron, led the way, and their
leading ranks were fading like shadows over the
giimmering sands, the Heavies, the Gardner
guns, the mounted men and the infantry broke
into columns to the right and then took up the
line of march, which led across the arid Bayuda
desert There were 1000 of us ali told that
morning, and we of the Sussex Regiment were
the last to move away. and we heard the omin-
GUS predictions Of the assembled natives as we
stepped out to the merry peal of bueles which
sounded in the air. Three times within two
years the natives of Kort had sat and smoked
their long ''ehibouques' as they saw similar ex
petitions depart for the land of the CresceEtade
in search OF Mahommed Achmet, the Mahdi of
the Soudan. Not one of the men who made up
these expeditions ever returned. They died to
a man. So the people told US, and so we took it
as we moved away to the ringing notes which
our bugers played with military precision We
had Greeks, and Copts and Somaulies from Alden
as our servants, and a few Egyptian soldiers as
camel-drivers.
I had horse to ride, and camel l called
'Daddles" to carry my water, provisions, i'm
pedimenta, surgical instruments and medicine.
Ny horse a handsome chestnut, suffering
from the heat and mounted spare camel in
order to save my own animal for contingencies
which all expected might arrive tomorrow or
after. got cross legged upon Arab saddle,
which was fastened with strings to the lumber
Ing hump backed brute, and the beast began
grunting like {. ilage pump. He grinned like a
bulldog, and showed row of teeth beneath his
prehensile lips The reins consisted Of rope
for steering, and string fastened to ring
thrust through his nostrils was intended to pull
him up when he was going too fast for my COM
fort / saw the long and white helmeted troops
march in apparent comfort on their way, while
swayed to and fro, and was bumped up and down.
and osciated and seo-sawed from side to side
until became nauseous and had exhausted my
profane Arabic vocabulary in the vain attempt
20 induce 'Daddles" TO consider my comfort more
than his own. A Somaulies who walked beside
me told me that would soon become accustomed
to the gait. but did not mind him, and | dis
mounted ard was soon on the back OF my hand
some chestnut again The scenery was barren
and desolate. There were sloping hills of dark
rock and an occasional deep ravine, and the
route was paved with powders, shifting sands
lead camels The bed of the desert began
oscend as we pushed on to the south, passing
LIi7UIfga de6fcs which opened into deep but small
valleys. On the slope there were deposits of
black finty stones AS evening approached we
entered an open plain, which was sluiced by
shallow river bed which had evidently been dry
for many years. Here we camped for the night,
the men pitching their shelter tents which are
open at each end, and their rifles stand against
the uprights which support them. Some thorny
and stuuted acacia bushes and dying palm trees
helped to provide fuel, and the men cooked their
suppers and those off duty turned in to rest
A detachment of mounted infantry formed
our rear guard and videttes were placed around
the camp as we lay on the sand to seek repose.
Two men of the Sussex Regiment had been sun
struck during the day and one of them died just
as 'light out" sounded and he was buried under
the light of the waning moon beside palm tree
in the valley. Death was caused by syncope
brought on by exhaustion and fatigue.
It was not the first death l had seen in the
field but it was one of the most affecting. There
was no band playing the Dead March" to the
place selected for his grave. firing party of
bis comrades assembled before the hospital door.
The dead man was wrapped in his blanket and
carried on a field -stretcher. A hole was scooped
in the sand, the dead man was placed In it. his
his grave, the sand was shoveled over him and
wo returned to our tents to prepare to take up
the line of march at / O'Clock in the morning.
The reveIe sounded shrill sharp and unwel
come, just as the men were dismissed after their
1nournful duty Then the camels had to be
loaded, and for an hour the men and beasts
were cropping in the dark, fixing saddles, packing
baggage, tieing ropes and putting everything in
order. It was o'clock before the bugles
sounded the 'fall in" and in half an hour after
10
cred desert gistened in the dim moonlight as if
1t were painted with some yellow, shining varnish.
The route lay over a country still broken by jag
ged rocks and angular hills of barren slate AS
the hours passed the soldiers turned over their
S'zamzameahs' and drank precious draughts of
water therefrom. Occasionally the bugles
sounded the halt in rear. This was done to al
low the stragglers to close up. Then the men
threw themselves on the sand rearranged their
kits took the sand out of their shoes, or wiped
their faces With handkerchefs already wet with
perspiraticn. Camels that had broken down
were shot and their loads put on the spare ones.
Then the rear guards would close up again and
the bugles would sound the advance Few cared
TO talk, and the long line passed over the desert
route like moving shadow. A little after
something like reflection of a great fire
cleaned on the horizon. Tho skyline became
copper colored and then the great light spread
upward, and we knew it was daylight. The
sands began TO assume a maroon shade, and the
craggy rocks looked as if their terraced sides
were fringed with golden lines. 1t was a land
seape without verdure-solitude without civillza
ton. As the sun rose the men became more
cheerful Some of them, from habit, began to
smooth their hair and fix their helmets more
carefully on their heads. They wiped their faces
with their now we'll dried handkerchiefs, and
acted like men who would like to dress for
parade if they had the time The occasional
short rests enabled them to bear the long march
all the better At 10 o'clock they were to halt
for breakfast. AT last that longedfor hour
came.
It was welcome rest. The halt was sounded
ia country country covered with mmosa
Scouts were stationed all around us. The sun
shone fisrceiy overhead, and the men moved
about with listless gait The men of my regi-
1uent, unluckily. drank nearly all their water
The heayies and the mounted infantry had not
been 50 reckless. Now our men were suffering
the consequence of their folly During the
march the officers of the Sussex Regiment did
III 4I,rur nn,nfd 10 restrain the man from using