126 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

down amongst us, " waiting to give the niggers another chance," as he said. As they did not take advantage of it, the square was rapidly formed up, and at about 10 o'clock we moved out, keeping to the high ground.

A redoubled fire from the Arabs showed that they saw our movements, and soon the hills were alive with them, running parallel to our square and keeping up a hot fire all the time. Men fell right and left, and the whistling of the bullets overhead was incessant. Skirmishers were accordingly told off to the front and flanks, and they succeeded in greatly reducing the enemy's fire. Just at this time our doctor, Magill, was hit by a bullet in the leg as he was attending a wounded skirmisher outside the square, and he and his patient were brought in with some difficulty. We moved at a slow march all the time, in order to allow of the guns and camels keeping up. And terrible ground it was for them to get over without disarranging the square : rocky hillocks cut up in places with deep, sandy water-ruts, and very much uphill and downhill,