As the Nile was now high, it was thought the small steamer _Abbas_ would be able to make her way safely to Dongola. The _Abbas_ left Khartum on the 10th of September, and was accompanied by two other steamers towing boats, in one of which were a number of Greek, and in the other Syrian merchants. These steamers ran the gauntlet of shot and shell till past Berber. When a short way beyond that town, the steamers _Mansureh_ and _Safia_ turned back, and reached Khartum only with the greatest difficulty, being fired upon throughout almost the entire distance. The _Abbas_ continued her journey north, and drew up for the night at a small island. The two boats which had been cast off when the other steamers left, now passed the _Abbas_, but were driven on to some rocks by the wind, and here they had to stop for the night to repair. The next morning the _Abbas_ passed them, and Colonel Stewart urged them to push forward. The Greek boat started, but it was some time before the Syrians could set sail; and again they were driven on to the rocks, where they remained firmly fixed. In the meantime the Dervishes at Berber, who had gained possession of the steamer _El Fasher_ when the town fell into their hands, at once sent her off in pursuit, together with two large sailing boats. The _Fasher_ soon came up with the wrecked Syrian boat, which now made a sign of truce, was boarded and taken possession of. The Dervishes, having obtained all information, left one of their boats in charge of their capture, and then pursued the Greek boat, with which they soon came up, and, having secured her, the _Fasher_ continued her pursuit of the _Abbas_. She proceeded almost as far as Abu Hamed, but here the captain refused to take her any further, as he feared running her on to a rock. So she returned to Berber with her captured boats, in which there were in all twelve Greeks and fifteen Syrians. Of the latter, eight were males, five females, and two children. The steamer _Abbas_, after passing Abu Hamed, entered the Wadi Gamr cataracts, which are very rocky and dangerous, and here she struck on a rock near the village of Hebbeh, the inhabitants of which belong to the Monasir tribe. Colonel Stewart had the baggage disembarked on an island, on which the travellers now took up their abode until the expected Greek and Syrian boats should arrive; but, after waiting two days, Stewart sent his interpreter, Hassan Husni, with Mohammed Hilmi Gorab and the captain, ashore, with instructions to see the sheikhs, and, by the offer of presents and the promise of a good reward from the Government, to induce them to supply camels to enable the shipwrecked party to continue their journey to Dongola.