322 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

but we were escorted by a large body of regular troops, who gave valuable assistance. Just before sunset our advance guard was attacked by Kabrega's people. He had not expected such a strong party, so that his men speedily had to retire, leaving one man on the field, upon which our escort advanced and took possession of a small village, where we encamped for the night. The natives showed in force several times, but the sharp fire of the soldiers soon cleared the woods round the village. We found the huts so full of vermin that we were obliged to sleep in the open air. At about 11 o'clock we were aroused from our slumbers by a loud clap of thunder, and a minute or two later a tropical storm broke over us, the like of which I have rarely seen. The rain came pouring down in torrents, soon extinguishing our fires ; flash after flash of vivid lightning lit up the dreary scene, and we were almost deafened by the continuous roll of the crashing thunder, which seemed to shake the earth to its very foundations. The storm having made the night as uncomfortable as it well could, we were not sorry to break camp next morning at half-past 5. The road was worse than ever, and we had to cross two streams. The second of these, Khor El Pasha, is a very rapid torrent, which we reached about mid-day. We had to cross it by springing from stone to stone, the natives catching us as we landed on each rock. It was a matter of some danger, for