218 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

convoy had already moved on towards Gakdul, to-I gether with most of the wounded left in camp.

General Duller had now arranged every detail of J the retirement, and orders were issued for the Heavies, I] the i Qth, ourselves, the Soudanese, and a convoy of stores, etc., to start next morning, all on camels, I leaving the Lights, the remainder of the Mounted 11 Infantry, and the i8th to keep the enemy in check till we could send back our camels to them from Gakdul Owing to the want of reserve of camels at Korti, the rear-guard was thus stranded in the middle of the desert without means of transport or retirement in case of an attack by overwhelming numbers ; ii the enemy should attack, Duller was precluded froi a fair fight on the open (again) by the want of transport for his wounded, so his only course was to "sit tight." Most of the afternoon was spent in " taking over " camels for our start on the morrow ; ridingcamels and baggagers had of course long ago got so mixed up that we took whatever came to hand.

If possible, the poor brutes were in a worse state