THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN &c., with occasionally a large water melon, from Mr. Morgan, an employe, of a land company in the Sudan whose headquarters were near Bagrawiya. Bread we obtained from a Greek merchant at Shendi who for some weeks sent it regularly by train to Kabushia, whence it was brought to the pyramids by the men. One day, however, he went to Khartum and got married, and for several days no bread appeared ; but when he returned to his shop he made up for his neglect by sending us at one time fourteen four-pound loaves, two for each of the days he was away For the first fortnight or so a body of artillerymen used to march out to the pyramids at sunrise, and work there all day, and time their departure in the afternoon, so that they might reach their camp near the river at sunset. Captains Lewin and Drake decided, however, that this arrangement was not a good one, for the men having walked about three and a half miles in the morning before they began their work, and having the same distance to go after they had ended it, naturally spared themselves during the day. The new plan which these officers made was a much better one. The men came out on shifts of three days, and then went back to the river for three days, and in this way duties connected with the care of the horses and the labour of digging were distributed equally among all the men in the two batteries.

It necessitated an increase in the transport work, but a great deal more digging was done than would have been possible under the first arrangement. One or other of the British officers, and sometimes both, rode into the camp near the river each day to see that all was right with the men, guns, and horses, and they were indefatigable in the discharge of both their military and antiquarian duties. That more constant supervision might be given to their men two heliostats were obtained from Khartum, and thus instant communication between the camp on the river and that at the pyramids was established ; at night, signals were made between the camps with lamps. By means of these instruments much time was saved, and supplies of all kinds were obtained quickly.

A word may be said about the weather which we had at the pyramids. The nights were very cold, so cold that we cordially 334