MERAWI IN 1897 noxiousness to human beings may be better imagined than described. The effect which storms of this kind had on the Nile was astonishing, for in about half an hour such large waves were ashed up out of its water that to cross it in a native boat was impossible. Whilst returning with a few natives on one occasion from Gebel Barkal to the village of Merawi, we were caught in a habtib, and on passing a particularly exposed place near the hills some of the party were blown off their donkeys, and we had to wait until the wind had gone by. When the ferry was reached the ferryman refused to attempt to take us across the river, and there was nothing to be done except to sit on the bank until sundown, when the waves abated.

The heat waves which visited the camp from time to time were most disagreeable, and it was easy to understand how much they are dreaded by the desert tribes. No Arab will travel at such times if he can possibly help it, for he knows that any attempt to do so will probably be followed by disaster. A famous instance of this happened in August, 1897. The Sirdar ordered that 500 camels should be loaded with supplies and sent to Abu Hamed, and they set out from Korosko in two convoys, each containing 250 camels. Soon after they started, a heat wave of unusual strength came on, and marching through the air-less, red-hot desert was like marching in an oven. The proper rate of travelling could not be maintained, and the camels of one convoy, having broken loose, finally stampeded. The other convoy, which was under the charge of Lieutenant Mackay, managed to get to the Murat Wells on the fifth instead of on the third day, his own camel being so much exhausted that he had to walk the last sixteen miles of the way on foot and without water. When search was made for the other convoy, several camels were rescued, but it was found that eleven men and two hundred camels had perished of thirst.

In the beginning of October the Nile suddenly rose to a higher level than it had done the whole of that summer, but it fell again very rapidly, and as it fell the weather became more and more unpleasant. The temperature by day was not so high, but the air was heavily charged with moisture, and as the night began to grow cooler, mists were seen over the dhurra fields about dawn. Men ' "Sudan Campaign," p. 114.

VOL. I. 193 O