AFTER THE BATTLE. WATER !

43 weary work to collect the spears, banners, and swords left on the field by the enemy, and our men were surprised at not finding any shields such as had been used by the tribes who fought at El Teb, The Arabs had fled precipitately, leaving behind them nearly all that they possessed, which, however, did not appear to amount to much, the most valuable of the effects being a number of donkeys and several skins full of water, which were at once sent up to the wounded in the square. There was but little " loot " beyond the arms, and a few scattered garments, rugs, prayer-carpets, and ordinary camp utensils, nor would there have been much time to appropriate it if there had been, for our men were suffering agonies of thirst, and as the square moved slowly on were wondering whether the hussars, who had ridden forward on their weak, starved, and perishing horses, would find the wells before dark, or whether there would be orders to return to the seriba for the night. Soon a hussar was seen urging on his horse to bring the welcome tidings that Barrow had occupied the place without opposition, and a fresh effort was made to push on towards the so-called wells—really a series of pits in the sand of the valley bed with little basins at the bottom into which the water trickled. But that water was life and strength, and the hussars had enough to do to manage their horses, who were wild at the sight and smell of it, and had to be controlled when they were suffered to go down in turn and drink. As the square approached, wells were told off to the different regiments.

It may be imagined how eager the poor fellows were for a deep and unmeasured draught after their battle and their long march in the sun; but they behaved admirably, and there was no difficulty in keeping the best well clear for the supply of drink to the sick and wounded in the hospital. The water was muddy, but cool and sweet. There was little or nothing to be got to eat, except where any of the men had pocketed a few bits of biscuit. The order was given to bivouac in square. The hussars had brought in a couple of wounded Arabs, and letters and papers found on the bodies of others of the enemy had to be examined by Colonel Wilson—a duty which could only be performed before