220 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

spear-stick in his hand. Donkeys, too, were there inj great numbers, each overburdened with his owner's goods. No sort of order was observed negroes!

Egyptians, women, camels, and donkeys all going their own pace, soldiers and slaves intermingled in wonderful confusion.

During that day we lost no less than ninety-twoj camels, which dropped from exhaustion and were left lying. If this sort of thing went on, we thought, therej would be very few left to send back to Abu Klea, if any.1 Luckily, however, this excessive loss was not again!

equalled ; it seems to have been rather the weedingout of the camels, for I do not remember more than!

thirty-five or forty giving up the ghost on any subsequent day. We halted that evening two miles south of| Gebel es Sergain, and had a good night's rest till 5 a.mJ Getting off at 6.30, we had not gone far before!

Major M'Calmont passed, hurrying to Duller with despatches from Korti. He had several most inte-l resting pieces of news to tell us, but could not wait to give us any details. Firstly we heard of the victory of the river column at Kirbekan on the loth, and poor