5th of Regeb.  The camp continues in Berber, awaiting the arrival of the remainder of the cannon, ammunition, provisions and troops, from the boats at the cataract.  The reason why these have not been transported hither before this time, is the want of camels, a large part of the camels attached to the army having perished, by reason of having been over fatigued by the Pasha’s forced march over the desert, and up the country of Berber.  A considerable number of camels have been obtained from Berber and sent to the cataract, and more are expected to arrive from Shendi, to which place the Divan Effendi has accompanied the chief of that country when he left our camp, in order to receive them.  Abdin Cacheff departed two days past for Dongola, with his division.  He is charged, by Mehemmed Ali, with the government of the country between the second and third cataracts.[40] Twelve hundred men, under the command of Ibrihim Cacheff, are said to be on the way to replace the vacancy left in our camp by the departure of Abdin Cacheff.  They are expected to arrive in a few days, if not delayed by the sickness of Ibrihim Cacheff, who, it is said in the camp, is dangerously ill on the road.

7th of Regeb.  This day Nousreddin, the Malek of Berber, came to kiss the hand of the Pasha.  He had been prevented from paying his homage to the conqueror heretofore by sickness.  He brought with him, as a present to the Pasha, fifty fine horses, and fifty dromedaries of prime breed.  He was well received by his Excellence, and his presents were returned by the Pasha, by others of great value.  Nousreddin is a very tall and very large man, about sixty years of age.  Two days after, having occasion to go to the other side of the river, I found Nousreddin upon the shore, awaiting the arrival of a boat to carry him and some of his chiefs over.  I paid him some compliments relative to the handsome horses he had presented to the Pasha, which pleased him considerably; he invited me to come to his house and partake of his hospitality.  I told him, if circumstances would admit it, I would visit him in a few days.

From the 10th of Regeb to the end of the moon, nothing worth notice took place, except the successive and gradual arrival of the remainder of the cannon,[41] ammunition, stores and troops from the cataract, which had been left there when the Pasha quitted it, for want of camels to transport them.  On the last day of the month, arrived the cavalry of Ibrihim Cacheff from Egypt, consisting of four hundred excellent horsemen; one thousand infantry were yet far distant, but on their way to join us.  Ibrihim Cacheff is at Wady Halfa, severely sick.

On the 2d of the moon Shaban, shortly after the hour of afternoon prayer, the signal was fired and the tents fell.  We mounted our snorting horses, now lusty from long repose, and commenced our march to traverse the famous country of the Ethiopian shepherds, at present subject to the Malek of Shendi.  We arrived opposite Shendi, by easy marches, in eight days, and encamped on the west side of the river, near a very large village called “Shendi el Garb,” i.e.  Shendi on the west bank.