FOOD SUPPLIES. 185 to fire, when the figure answered " Friend," in (so the sentry said) a foreign accent, and disappeared over the hills towards the town. My patrol and I gave chase in the direction indicated, but as we could not "see three yards in front of us it is not surprising that we did not capture the gentleman in question.

Meanwhile our stores were getting small by degrees and beautifully less. We had started from Gakdul with three weeks' provisions ; but the terrible waste entailed at the Abu Kru zeriba added to our loss in camels had already caused the daily rations to be reduced. Anything extra in the shape of food was most acceptable. I remember one night fat sheep innocently straying into my arms, as was going my rounds ; we lived on him for three days, and very good he was. Even with such strokes of luck, however, the stores would only last till the 2nd February ; after that we should have to eat our camels it was therefore doubly necessary to keep them in health for eating diseased camel did not sound appetising. The poor brutes had now water enough and to