1885 (16.2) Nile Expedition - Soldier’s cover from Korti to Cairo and complete contents, manuscript ‘or any other Officer with 11th Company’ franked Provisional 1884 20 paras on 5 piastres green and 4th Issue 10 paras bluish gray in a vertical pair, all tied by Star and Crescent KORTI / 16 FE 85 datestamp with an additional strike below, backstamped on arrival in Cairo 2 March 85, a rare cover Provenance: Peter Smith Rarity: Probably unique mixed franking used at Korti Note: The letter is addressed to Lieut. Sandbach, it begins on Feb 12, contents - “seven of the 11th Company are with the Nile Column as a boat repairing party...we are now looking after the Dockyard which in reality is a sandbank in the middle of the river...there are 300 boats here...Colonel Todd has gone to Sakdur to put the place in a state of defence. I certainly can’t see at present how we are going to cut ourselves adrift from the boats...not for publication” (Image)