The advance of the main body to Dongola was very slow, despite the heroic toil of all concerned.  We now know that up to the middle of September the Gladstone Ministry cherished the belief that the force need not advance beyond Dongola.  Their optimism was once again at fault.  The Mahdists were pressing on the siege of Khartum, and had overpowered and slaughtered faithful tribes farther down the river.  Such was the news sent by Gordon and received by Lord Wolseley on December 31 at Korti.  The “secret and confidential” part of Gordon’s message was to the effect that food was running short, and the rescuers must come quickly; they should come by Metammeh or Berber, and inform Gordon by the messenger when they had taken Berber.

The last entries in Gordon’s Journals or in that part which has survived, contain the following statements:—­

December 13. “. . .  All that is absolutely necessary is for fifty of the expeditionary force to get on board a steamer and come up to Halfeyeh, and thus let their presence be felt; this is not asking much, but it must happen at once; or it will (as usual) be too late.”

December 14. [After stating that he would send down a steamer with the “Journal” towards the expeditionary force]. . . .  “Now mark this, if the expeditionary force, and I ask for no more than two hundred men, does not come in ten days the town may fall; and I have done my best for the honour of our country.  Good bye.”

Owing to lack of transport and other difficulties, the vanguard of the relieving force could not begin its march from the new Nile base, near Korti, until December 30.  Thence the gallant Sir Herbert Stewart led a picked column of men with 1800 camels across the desert towards Metammeh.  Lord Wolseley remained behind to guard the new base of operations.  At Abu Klea wells, when nearing the Nile, the column was assailed by a great mass of Arabs.  They advanced in five columns, each having a wedge-shaped head designed to pierce the British square.  With a low murmuring cry or chant they rushed on in admirable order, disregarding the heavy losses caused by the steady fire of three faces of the square.  Their leaders soon saw the weak place in the defence, namely, at one of the rear corners, where belated skirmishers were still running in for shelter, where also one of the guns jammed at the critical moment.  One of their Emirs, calmly reciting his prayers, rode in through the gap thus formed, and for ten minutes bayonet and spear plied their deadly thrusts at close quarters.  Thanks to the firmness of the British infantry, every Arab that forced his way in perished; but in this melee there perished a stalwart soldier whom England could ill spare, Colonel Burnaby, hero of the ride to Khiva.  Lord Charles Beresford, of the Naval Brigade, had a narrow escape while striving to set right the defective cannon.  In all we lost 65 killed and 60 wounded, a proportion which tells its own tale as to the fighting[404].