242 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

after they left Gakdul for Korti. The friend in charge of the liquor, finding his camels requisitioned and the Heavies flown, thought it was a pity to waste good wine in the desert, so he packed what he could to take back on his own camel, and drank the remaindertwo magnums himself, at a sitting ; good performance, I call it. The poor chap, Costello, of the 5th Lancers, died afterwards, though not from the champagne. A short time after the heliograi arrived, orders were issued, and the work of packing up our reduced kits and distributing the camels began.

Everything had to be packed in the smallest space possible, and many were the growls at having to* leave some treasured curio or trophy behind through scarcity of camels.

At last the welcome news came by flash, " Wood has just started." Thank goodness, we should get back to water and civilisation (more or less) in four or five days ! As Wood's force would take at least four hours to get opposite Abu Haifa, and we wanted it to get well ahead before following, parade was not ordered till nearly daybreak.