1 88 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

was a very tight fit indeed. In one sense it was useful I being crowded like this, for it kept us warm at night, | the weather being horribly cold, especially just before I dawn. I know I wore an extra waistcoat, a greatcoat, and two blankets at night, and even then had 1 to wrap my water-proof sheet round me to keep warm ; j whilst during the day-time it got so hot, that working from twelve to three was out of the question unless there happened to be a cool breeze blowing.

Our little fort was thus amply manned in case of I emergency ; but, as it happened, we were never attacked. The only notifications at night we had of the enemy's existence were those everlasting tomtoms. Once, on the evening of the 28th, we heard rapid intermittent firing of guns and rifles in Metemmeh, but put it down to some religious festival ; we were doomed to be badly undeceived in a very short time.

On the 3ist of January, the convoy arrived from Gakdul, with stores, three guns, and a couple of mails, but, alas ! no instructions whatever from headquarters, and no fresh camels. Neither did they bring any