148 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

never being seen again. Thank God, there were no enemy about that night ; if the column had) been attacked, slaughter must have ensued. Many times was passed up from the rear the word to " Halt in front," whilst the rear-guard picked up stragglers and reloaded broken-down stores ; the front of the column then halted by order of the General, whilst the rest closed up on to it, and snatched a few seconds' slumber, till " All right in rear" set the whole in motion once more.

Gladly did we hail the first streaks of dawn in the black sky, expecting to find ourselves close to the river by the time the sun was up. It grew lighter and lighter, and eagerly we looked ahead, but no signs of the river yet. My camels drifted together again, more by good luck than good management, and soon we were in our proper places in the reformed column. One of my niggers, a hoary-headed old sinner like a dried-up chimpanzee, was reported to me as having cut his two rear camels adrift in order to go to sleep more comfortably ; so he got the koorbash, and was condemned to walk all the rest of the way, whilst the others rode.