202 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

their small load balanced (not tied) on their humps, and driven along in troops by their masters. Real children of the desert these natives looked, with their bright copper skins, handsome features, and thick mops of long black hair. Some of the faces were really quite beautiful, reminding me of a beau-ideal John the Baptist : aquiline nose, large, dark eyes, and wild though somewhat mournful expression ; as for their figures and muscular development, they were simply perfect. I could have watched them for hours, but had to attend to the more prosaic duties of drawing rations and water for the morrow. We soon got our orders, which were for ourselves (G.C.R. detachment) and the convoy of stores to start next morning about nine. The i8th were to proceed on foot that night, directly the moon rose, at about i a.m., and we should catch them up by the evening. Duller would wait a little longer for despatches from Korti, and join us at Abu Klea, where we were all to concentrate before going on to Gubat.

Accordingly, next morning we got off pretty punctually, and marched on till evening without