238 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

fearfully hot, and the thorn bushes gave but little shade ; we had to spread our rugs over them to form a kind of tent.

The cooking operations of the porters lasted nearly all day, and it was almost sundown when we again started. T\e marched in the light of the setting sun and during the short twilight to El Brak, a small stream, the men telling us that we should not find water farther on. The dew at night here is very heavy, and makes a hut almost indispensable ; from Dem Suleiman a different kind of hut to those farther south was built for us.

They were square buildings, and much larger in size ; still the camp is quickly formed ; in about half an hour the circle of fires is all aglow, huts are built, sentries posted, and the preparations for the night completed. Then, as farther south, dancing and singing begin, and continue till the small hours ; but we had become accustomed to nocturnal festivals, and slept through all the noise; but if the slightest unusual sound occurred, we were awake at once.

Before reaching El Brak, the ground showed every sign of being one vast swamp in the harif; it was now covered with the tracks of game. This made marching very tedious, for the elephants appear to take a pleasure in doing all the damage they can to the road. That night a post arrived from Kalaka, saying that all was ready for our