3o6 WITH THE CAMEL CORPS UP THE NILE.

to Dongola from Alexandria, for the use of the patients in hospital ; but, as may be imagined, it was rarely bigger than a walnut when it arrived ; generally there was only past evidence of it in the shape of damp sawdust.

It is curious how you can do without the everyday luxuries of a hot climate when you haven't got them. We used to swallow all our liquids lukewarm up the Nile and never thought of cooling them. Tepid water, very slightly cooled in chatties, was the order of the day, and nobody dreamt of grumbling about it.

Once, at Dongola, we got hold of some champagne, so, to keep up the civilised custom of drinking it cold, we hung it in the sun in a wet sock all day, and really the coldness of it gave me quite a shock I'd got so used to tepid drinks. I verily believe a lot of the sickness at Suakim was owing to the ease with which you could procure ice there at all times of the day.

However, to return.

On the platform was the whole Head-quarter Staff, including Lord Wolseley and General Stephenson, and one or two real English ladies, and delighted we werel