THE FINAL ADVANCE 207 drawn np in battle array, and put them through a few manoeuvres as if in action. General Gatacre commanded the British division—Colonel Wauchope the first brigade, and Lyttleton the second. As before, Macdonald, Maxwell, and Lewis commanded the first three Egyptian brigades, and Collinson that newly raised. General Hunter being in command of the division.

The force numbered in all about twenty thousand, and although destitute of the glitter and colour of a British army under ordinary circumstances, were as fine a body of men as a British general could wish to command, and all alike eager to meet the foe. The British division had with them two batteries and ten Maxims, and the Egyptian division five batteries and ten Maxims.

As Gregory was strolling through the camp he passed where the officers of one of the British regiments were seated on boxes round a rough table, over which a sort of awning had been erected.

“ Come and join us, Hilliard. We are having our last feast on our last stores, which we got smuggled up in one of the gun-boats,” the Major called out.

“With pleasure, sir.” The officer who was sitting at the head of the table made room beside him.

“You men of the Egyptian Army fare a good deal better than we do, I think,” the Major went on. “ That institution of private camels is an excellent one; we did not know that they would be allowed. But after all it is not a bad thing that we did not have them, for there is no doubt it is as well that the soldiers should not see us faring better than they.

There is bother enough with the baggage as it is. Of course it is different in your case. There are only two or three white officers with each battalion, and it would not strike your black troops as a hardship that you should have different food from themselves. They are living as well as, or better than, they ever did in their lives. Three camels make no