1 58 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE. M got one through his helmet, D one on his scabbard, and N a stone, which nearly broke his ankle.

I happened to be walking alongside C , when suddenly he gave a terrific jump, and clapped his hand to his face : a bullet had skimmed through his beard, and passed over his shoulder. Still we moved on, slowly, very slowly, avoiding all dips and hollows which might contain niggers, and every now and then halting to send a few volleys wherever the smoke appeared thickest. At length the Arabs began to collect in large bodies in front, and the long-wished-for moment arrived. " Thank God ! they're going to charge ! " was the sigh of relief on all sides ; and on they came. Several thousand had massed on the slopes on the left front, and they came straight at us. The square was at once halted, and volley after volley poured into the black mass. As they got within 400 yards, the volley-firing became a continuous roar of musketry, and hundreds fell beneath the welldirected fire of the Mounted Infantry and ourselves.

Aiming low, and firing steadily as on parade, our men mowed the Arabs down like grass ; not one got within eighty yards of the square. At last the masses of the