ee or four hours' rest out of each twenty-four, with a very scanty
supply of food, and a sufficient allowance of water but twice, namely,
at Gakdul and Korti. The natural result had followed: the animals were
weak and exhausted, the majority were suffering from sore backs, some
had already succumbed, others were absolutely incapable of further work
until they had had a rest. In this respect none of the three corps had
any advantage over the other, as the camels had all performed the three
journeys.

"If we are only going to Metemmeh, and are to halt there until the
boats come round, the poor beasts will have time to recover before we
want them again," Easton said to Skinner as they were looking ruefully
at the condition of the camels who had carried them so well ten days
before; "but they certainly won't be fit to advance for some time. I am
afraid, Skinner, that they must have very bad news from Khartoum, and
that every day is of extreme importance. If the matter hadn't been most
urgent they would never have ruined the whole of our transport as they
have done in this way. If the camels had had a couple of days' rest here
before starting to go back again, and four or five days' good feeding at
Korti before they started up again, it would have made all the
difference in the world to them. A camel is not a steam-engine, that can
take in fuel and water and be off again an hour after it comes in from a
journey."

"I don't like these night marches," Skinner said. "I consider them to be
a mistake altogether."

"So do I, Skinner. It was bad enough when we had the moon, but it will
be ten times worse now. As to the heat, that is all rot. We travelled in
the daytime coming up by the banks of the Nile, and it is cooler now
than it was then. It is all very well for men to march at night if they
have no animals or baggage-train with them, but it is a different thing
altogether on such an expedition as this. To begin with, the delays from
falling behind and readjusting baggage are far greater at night than at
day; there is much greater difficulty in keeping the column together;
the men are in a state of drowsiness the whole time, if they were
marching they would keep awake, but sitting on the camels there is
nothing to rouse them. Then when they get in camp the heat of the day
has just begun, and what with that and the flies it is next to
impossible to sleep. What sleep they get does not refresh them. I quite
dread this march on