SAD COMPARISONS. 289 natives and their goods were seen making their way down country on the left bank. The villages along the river had a painfully deserted look, and it was sad to watch the " families-removing " process going on from them.

That night we encamped on the bank, and slept in the soft sand. Our marching was to begin next day at Abu Fatmeh. The days of camels were over, alas !

and nothing remained but to get ourselves home by ordinary civilised means as quickly as possible. The G.C.R. had long ceased to be a Camel Regiment, and we were once more to be real genuine Infantry.

It was very sad to compare our present state with what we were seven months before, going up country.

Then each man had a camel of his own, real breeches and putties, and a respectable grey tunic ; now every man was reduced to his own legs as transport, kharkee trousers much too short for him, and a badly-fitting kharkee tunic. Then the G.C.R. was over 400 strong, with every hope for the future ; now the object for we came was gone, and there were 90 of us also. The Heavies had, however, suffered far u