184 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

near, offering cattle or corn for sale, or saying they wished to be protected from the Mahdi, but doubtless many of them were spies, for they disappeared mysteriously after a few days. They brought news too, sometimes true, generally false, about Khartoum' and the intentions of the Emir of Metemmeh ; but of course it was never safe to trust them. We wondered often who was really in command at Metemmeh : the natives always said this man, the Emir Nusri, but he must have had a European adviser to have defended the town with earthworks and small forts as he did. At Abu Klea three separate signallers swore to having seen a European in a white helmet and jacket and jack-boots, directing the attack of the enemy, and this pointed again to his existence. One mysterious occurrence happened. I happened to be on outpost duty one very dark night, when, on going my rounds, a sentry reported that a man had just come from the direction of our fort, behind him, and had passed through the line of sentries towards Metemmeh. Of course he challenged, but received no answer ; the third time he challenged he threatened