THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN on to the mud, the crew lit a fire and cooked their supper, and everybody tried to go to sleep.

This, however, was difficult, for the cold was, relatively intense, and lying out in the broadest part of the river we felt the full strength of the north wind. The tent was a poor shelter, because it was impossible to keep the wind away from beneath it, and - after a short time the few native merchants who were on the steamer and myself joined the crew, who were squatting by a fire close to the engines, and were thankful to be welcomed by them. The gift of a tin of tobacco and two or three briar-root pipes put us on very good terms with each other, and as the pipes passed round the shyness wore off the black faces of the smokers, and they cracked jokes with each other, and were full of fun. After a little time the engineer woke up, and he and the rais, or captain, joined us. About two o'clock it became bitterly cold, notwithstanding the good fire kept up with the Sirdar's wood, and then one of the party having produced a few handfuls of coffee berries, the engineer, who said " he knew this business," pounded and boiled them, the whole company giving their advice at critical moments. There were no cups available, but two tin mugs served the party very well, and when my " black boy " produced a lump of loaf sugar about two pounds in weight, great satisfaction was felt. The crew were very good-natured fellows, easily pleased, and quickly touched by a little act of kindness, and though it seemed incredible that many of them had been fanatical Dervishes less than a year previously, such was the fact. When the false dawn appeared the company became quiet, and most of them huddled themselves together and slept as best they could.

About 6 a.m. we got under way, and in a short time turned the bend in the river and lost sight of Atbara Fort. Every one welcomed the sun, and, turning his back to the wind, tried to get as much of the heat as possible. When it was sufficiently warm to leave the friendly shelter of the iron bridge over the shaft of the paddle-wheels, and to wander along the sides of the steamer, it became evident that the gallant little boat had seen a considerable amount of service, and that she had been knocked about a good deal. The funnel was pitted with bullet marks, and 256 i