THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN proceed to Meravvi. It was eleven o'clock at night when we arrived, and nearly every one on the steamer was asleep. We could hardly believe our ears, but Sergeant-Major Kelham, who brought the order to the boat, was quite definite as to the instructions which he had received, and he had been told not only to see us out of the steamer, but that we were to leave it without any delay. Fatigue parties were standing by the side of piles of stores and telegraph wire which had to be loaded on the steamer, and when these and a certain number of troops had been embarked she was to start at once. Then began a scene of hurry and scurry which it was hard to describe. The black " boys," or servants, were running in all directions to collect the property of their masters, and every approach to the gangway was blocked by a mass of soldiers and civilians, the former trying to struggle out of the boat with their kits, and the latter trying to get into it.

Most of the men were shouting after the manner of the Egyptians, and no one would give way to his neighbour. Then the fatigue parties began to push their stores on to the steamer, wherever they could find room, and when some of these slipped off into the river, the din and confusion became appalling. Everybody seemed to be cursing everybody else, and men threatened to do violence to each other as they heaped insults of a truly Oriental character upon the memories of their mothers, and alluded joyfully to the torments which their fathers were suffering in hell. Meanwhile nothing was being done, for every one's energies were devoted to shouting. In the nick of time, however, Captain N. T. Borton appeared, and those who know that energetic officer will readily understand how under his vigorous commands, which were punctuated by the light whip which he carried in one hand, the tumult ceased, and the gangway was cleared, and work was done.

The removal of my small effects required a very few minutes, and I was glad to transfer the bag of papers for the Sirdar to other hands. The correspondents were, however, not so fortunate, for they were encumbered with tents, and with many " Press Mess " boxes of considerable length and weight. They themselves were in despair, for it had somehow leaked out that events of importance were happening at Merawi, and that our 108