AN APPOINTMENT 63 to get a lens; you don’t want a valuable one, but the larger the better, and the cheapest that you can buy ; it will be quite as good as the best to use as a burning-glass. Matches are precious things out there, and with a burning-glass you will only have to draw upon your stock in the evening. Now, do you ride ? because all the white officers with the Egyptian troops do so.”

I am sorry to say that I don’t, sir. I have ridden donkeys, but anyone can sit upon a donkey.” “Yes; that won’t help you much. Then I should advise you to use all the time that you can spare, after ordering your outfit, in riding. No doubt you could hire a horse.” “Yes; there is no difficulty about that.” “ Well, if you will hire one and come round here at six o’clock to-morrow morning, I will ride out for a couple of hours with you and give you your first lesson. I can borrow a horse from one of the staff. If you once get to sit your horse in a workmanlike fashion, and to carry yourself well, you will soon pick up the rest; and if you go out morning and evening for three hours each time, you won’t be quite abroad when you start to keep up with a column of men on foot. As to a horse, it would be hardly worth your while to bother about taking one with you ; you will be able to pick one up at Dongola. I hear that fugitives are constantly coming in there, and some of them are sure to be mounted.

However, you had better take up a saddle and bridle with you.* You might as well get an Egyptian one, in the first place because it is a good deal cheaper, and in the second because our English saddles are made for bigger horses. You need not mind much about the appearance of your animal, anything will do for riding about at Dongola, and learning to keep your seat. In the first fight you have with Dervish horsemen there are sure to he some riderless horses, and you may then get a good one for a pound or two from some Tommy who has captured one.”

“I am sure I am immensely obliged to you, Captain Ewart; that will indeed be an advantage to me.”