138 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

useless weapons, which was done by breaking up the spears, damaged rifles, etc., arid burning them. As many of the dead as possible were buried, and the rest left for a future occasion.

The men were now suffering greatly from thirst, yet there was hardly a drop to give them, nearly all the spare water being used for the wounded. Several men fainted, and many more suffered acutely, their lips turning black, and their tongues swelling so as to cause great pain. It was high time to push on to the wells, so the word was given, and the square moved slowly on very slowly, in order to allow the camels and wounded to keep up : 106 wounded was far too large a number to be carried on the few camels we had left who, indeed, were required for medical stores and ammunition ; so my company, as being the strongest, was told off to carry them on stretchers. The men were fearfully weak themselves through fatigue and thirst, but stuck to their burdens manfully all the time.