THE BATTLE OE ATBARA 197 the procession, followed by his staff; then, leading his brigade, came Macdonald—stem and hard of face, burnt almost black with years of campaigning in the desert—and his staff, I followed by the black battalions, erect and proud, maintaining their soldierly bearing amid the loud quavering cries of welcome from the women.

Gregory had, on his arrival with the brigade the day before, gone into the town and engaged a small house in its I outskirts as the abode of Fatma and her two attendants, purchased suitable provisions, and made what arrangements he could for her comfort. Late in the evening he had escorted her there, and left Zaki to sleep in an outhouse attached to it, to secure them from all intmsion. Then he went down to the river, and, finding the Zafir lying there, went on board.

I He was received as one returned from the dead by Captain ' Keppel, Lieutenant Beatty, and Lieutenant Hood—the commanders of the other gun-boats—who had been dining on board. He had become a general favourite during the time ' he had spent with them, and their congratulations on his safe return were warm and hearty.

You may imagine our surprise when, after the fight was ; over,” said Captain Keppel, “ it was discovered that you were : missing. Ho one could imagine what had become of you.

i One of the blacks who had been working your Maxim said ; they had not noticed your leaving them, and that when they found you were not there, they supposed you had come to confer with me. Then I sent for your man, but he too : was missing. We searched everywhere, but no signs of you, ! dead or alive, and no marks of blood were to be found ; so it seemed that the matter must remain a mystery. Early the ( next morning, however, we saw a white rag waving on the ! bank, and then a black entered the water and swam out tow-; ards us. I sent the boat to meet him, and when he came on [ board I found that he was your man, and the mystery was I explained. I fancy I used some strong language, for I never before heard of a man being so hare-brained as to spring over-