ANOTHER CONVOY. 193 and strengthen our position still further, and the hard work soon took our minds off brooding on the subject.

Gravel buttresses were thrown up against the walls of the fort outside to stop any shells that might otherwise have knocked down the rubble masonry, and a hedge of thorn-bushes was started as an outer circle of defence.

By noon it had been settled to send a convoy back to Gakdul to bring up more stores, and orders were issued to start at moonrise, about eight o'clock.

It was to be of much the same proportions as the first three hundred Heavies, Guards, and Mounted Infantry as escort to all the remaining camels fit for carrying a load. Besides the camels for stores, all the sick and wounded possible to be moved were to be sent back, to the number of about one hundred and ten. Our particular contingent consisted of one hundred men, Grenadiers and Scots Guards, including three officers besides myself. Our camels were to be mostly the same that had come in only the day before with the first convoy ; they were consequently a very sorry lot. The few that had remained at Gubat looked hardly fit to walk a mile, much less to Gakdul and