THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN capture of that place by General Hunter, trains were running into it. It really was a marvellous piece of work, for between May 15th and October 31st two hundred and thirty miles of line had been laid, i.e., at the rate of about one and one-third miles per day, during the hottest time of the year, through a waterless desert, which about six months previously had been unmapped. Every man employed on the line did his best, of course, but the great success which attended the undertaking proved once more how correct was the Sirdar's choice of the man who directed the work, and lasting credit is due to Lieutenant (now Sir Percy) Girouard, R.E., and to the little band of young Royal Engineer officers who so thoroughly justified their Chief's expectations.

The weather at Merawi was not all that could be desired. During the early part of September the days were very hot, and in the afternoons even well-seasoned Egyptian officers found the heat sometimes nearly unbearable. Between i and 3.30 p.m. the heat could be seen moving the air above the sand in wavy lines, and the great glare added to the discomfort of every one.

Every animal sought the slightest shade that could be found, and the small birds flocked to the shelters where the dripping waterjars were protected from the sun. Close to the river at night the heat was steamy, but with the dawn came a most agreeable coolness which lasted for an hour or two. Every few days came a heat wave, which was usually followed by a violent storm of wind laden with desert sand. A few hours before the habub—for such is the Arabic name of the storm—came, the sky in the quarter whence it was coming became dark, and quite suddenly one saw as it were a dense grey wall advancing with the speed of a fast train and overthrowing everything that stood in its way. When it reached the camp it snapped the ropes and levelled many of the tents with the ground, and papers and small objects were driven before it like chaff. This, however, was not the worst effect of the habAb, for when it had passed on it left the air behind it heavily charged with sand and dust, and this was unpleasant to breathe and tasted very nasty. In the open desert, where the habAb stirs up sand only, it is disagreeable enough, but when to the sand there is added the dust of the offal of a camp like that at Merawi, where thousands of men and hundreds of animals have been living for weeks, its 192 i