FIRE IN CAMP. 277 the Cabinet had decided to evacuate the Soudan at once ; then that it had cancelled its decision, and we were to go up to Khartoum, also at once ; then that Wolseley had sent for exact states of the force, with a view to immediate action ; then that we were to go down-stream directly the Nile was high enough, and so on, ad lib. The chief outcome of these rumours was mild betting as to how long we should be in the country.

I remember rashly laying three to one, which found ready takers, that we should still be at Dongola on the ist of June ; and a good bet it was. As it happened, we started down-stream on the afternoon of that day, so I won my bets but I am going ahead too fast.

One day (it was on the ;th of May) I was lying in rather a torpid state, as usual, in my hut, when I was aroused by a loud rushing and crackling sound just outside. I ran out, and beheld the windward hut of all a mass of flames. Not a second was lost ; the whole camp was already turned out, and chains of buckets were rapidly organised to the river. But it was no use. Water had not the smallest effect on the flaming straw, and, one after another, six large huts were in a blaze. The whole thing did not take four minutes