[Footnote 44:  It includes a great part of the ancient Isle of Meroe.]

[Footnote 45:  Malek Shouus, on learning that the Malek of Shendi had made his peace with the Pasha, threatened to attack him.  On this it is said the Malek of Shendi called out twenty thousand men to line the easterly bank of the Nile, to prevent the approach of Shouus.  Shouus, however, had the whole country of Shendi on the western side entirely under his control before our arrival, he and his cavalry devouring their provisions and drinking their bouza at a most unmerciful rate.  On our approach, he went up opposite Halfya, where the country, on the western shore, is desert.  He demanded of the chief of Halfya, to supply him with provisions:  on his refusal, Shouus, in the night, swam the river with his cavalry, fell upon the town of Halfya by surprise, and ransacked it from end to end, and then repassed the river before the chief of Halfya could collect a force to take his revenge.  The cavalry of Shouus, in the course of the campaign, have swam over the Nile five times:  both horse and man are trained to do this thing, inimitable, I believe, by any other cavalry in the world.  Shouus, since his joining us, has rendered very important services to the Pasha, as he is thoroughly acquainted with the strength, resources, and riches of all the tribes of the Nile, from the second Cataract to Sennaar and Darfour:  his horses’ feet are familiar with the sod and sand of all these countries, which he and his freebooters have repeatedly traversed.  On our march from Berber to Shendi, I ran some risk of falling into his hands, as Shouus was continually prowling about in our neighborhood, from the time of our quitting Berber.  Two nights before we reached Shendi, I stopped on the route, at a village, to take some refreshment, letting the army go by me.  About an hour and a half after, I mounted my horse to follow the troops, but, owing to the state of my eyes, I missed my way, after wandering back-wards and forwards to find the track of the troops, about two hours after midnight, I descried the rockets always thrown aloft during our night marches, to direct all stragglers to the place where the Pasha had encamped.  I put my horse to his speed, and arrived there a little before dawn.]

[Footnote 46:  During the night of the 22d, I received an order from the Pasha to precede the march of the troops, and pick out a spot near Halfya to encamp his army on, in the European manner.  Mr. Caillaud was requested to accompany me in this duty.  Mr. Caillaud candidly told me that he was not a military man, and left the affair entirely to me.  I chose a fine position on the river, about two miles above Halfya, in the rear of which was plenty of grass for the horses and camels.  The Pasha, however, did not choose to come so far, but pitched his camp on the low sand flats before Halfya, near which there was no grass for the camels, who, during the five days following, perished in great numbers.  He