2 62 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

reaches. On the 12th of December Sir Herbert Stewart, with the mounted infantry and the Guards camel corps, started from Ambukol, on the 15th he reached Korti, and Lord Wolseley arrived on the following day. The advance was now being made as rapidly as possible, for the men of each battalion had striven hard in a rivalry with which esprit de corps had more to do than the offered reward. Very little regard was paid to native rumours, most of which were found to be false; but the story of the murder of Colonel Stewart still dwelt in the minds of the men, who looked forward to the time when they might be able to punish the treacherous cowards who had committed the crime. This, they discovered, would probably be at a spot some fifty miles above Merawi, where the hostile tribes were said to be assembling. The attention of the whole camp was for a short time devoted to preparations for celebrating Christmas-day. It was known that double rations would be issued on that day, and the regiments had been ordered to collect a vast quantity of firewood, for two great camp bonfires were to be lighted, around which the whole of the troops then at Korti were to assemble in the evening and to hold high festival with songs, amateur theatricals, and various forms of merriment; there was to be no fatigue duty on that day; but the promptitude of the expedition was tested a day or two beforehand by the sudden sound of the alarm, on hearing which the whole force turned out in a few minutes quite prepared to repel an attack if the enemy had been there to make one.

The camp at Korti was a refreshing and even a picturesque place, laid out in broad avenues, kept well watered by coolies from the adjacent villages, who were paid for the work. On the high bank above the river there were evening assemblies of officers and men to listen to the band of the Sussex Regiment.

Korti was, in fact, a pleasant and welcome resting-place after the severe labour and hardship of the river and the desert. The men's spirits rose as soon as they had begun to recruit their strength there. All dav singing and laughter might be heard in camp; and at night, when the slow water of the Nile shimmered in the bright moonlight, the echo of their choruses might be heard from the