w much we have of it," the
soldier who was sitting next to Edgar said, looking up at the deep blue
sky studded with stars. "This suits me down to the ground."

"You had better make the most of it," Edgar laughed, "it won't last
long; and you will have nothing like it again. I own that, at any rate
until we reach the highest point to which the boats can go, I think the
infantry have got the best of it. Of course they will have hard work in
hauling the boats past the rapids, and they will have some rowing to do
when the wind is too light for the sails to carry them up, but I would
rather sit in a boat and row than sit on the back of a camel."

"But the boats will go all the way, won't they?"

"It is not known yet. It is possible that when we get to a place named
Korti, where the river makes a tremendous bend, some of us may cross the
desert to Metemmeh, where Gordon's steamers will meet us. If we do I
expect that will be the work of the three Camel Corps, and all the boats
will go right round the river and join us there; that is, if they can
get up the cataracts. I know the Egyptians say the water will be too low
for the boats to go up. That may be true enough as to the native boats,
but ours draw so little water that I believe there must always be depth
enough for them, for there is always a good lot of water coming down
here even at the driest season."

The regiment was disembarked at Assouan, and the next day four companies
went up in two steamers to Wady Halfa, a hundred and eighty miles higher
up the river. Edgar's troop formed part of the detachment. They had
expected to see a place of some size, but found that it consisted only
of a few mud huts and some sheds of the unfinished railway. Here for
some days the men practised infantry drill and received their equipments
and saddles, and then they were marched to the camel depot a mile away.

The soldiers were immensely amused at the sight of their chargers. These
animals had been collected from all parts of Egypt, from Aden and
Arabia. As soon as the proper number had been received and told off to
the men, the work of fitting on the saddles commenced. This was by no
means easy, as the camel humps differed greatly from each other, and a
good deal of padding and altering was necessary before the saddles were
comfortably fitted. When the men mounted they formed in line, and found
that the animals were docile and obedient to the rein, and manoeuvred
together without d