I DEBBA being turned out on the river bank, in the middle of the night, was due to the Sirdar's intention of keeping the knowledge of his plans to himself and his officers. One of the correspondents telegraphed up to him, asking if he might buy camels and proceed to Merawi at once, and the necessary permission was given forthwith, but an embargo was at once laid on all camels, as they might be required for the army, and no Arab dared to sell any.

Hence the permission to buy camels was useless ! Soon after I left the steamer Sergeant-Major Kelham was so kind as to offer me the use of a spare ankarih, or native rope bedstead, which he had by chance in his hut, and in a very short time the troubles of the day were forgotten. The correspondents were not so fortunate, and they slept near their baggage on the river bank.

The following day there was nothing to do but to explore Debba, and wander about and look at the fortifications which had been built there by the Turks, and at the old gun which they had left there. Colonel David was most courteous and hospitable, and Mr. Kelham and another brother non-commissioned officer, called Blake, showed me much kindness. Mr. Maud, of the Graphic, ensconced himself under a gauze mosquito tent, and made some capital sketches of natives, and his companions wrote up their diaries. When the evening came we had not the slightest idea when we should be able to continue our journey, and in due course we went to bed ; about i a.m., however, we were awakened by the hoot of a steamer from the north, and a few minutes later we were ordered to pack up and get aboard at once, as orders had been received to send us on. Then came a repetition of the scene of the previous night. The steamer from the north, called the Khaibar, was towing four barges loaded with grain, and on board were considerable numbers of civilian natives, and a company of soldiers, who were to be landed somewhere on the way up. She had to take on board several hundred kantars of wood, all the stores which the Abii Klea had left behind, a number of soldiers, and ourselves and our baggage ; this work took several hours to perform, and we all regretted the absence of Captain Borton, The village of Debba has nothing in it to make a visit worth ' The knniar = 99*05 pounds, or 44*93 kilogrammes.

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