t would a
short sleep have been! But no sooner had the camels swallowed a little
dhurra than we were up and off again. We still went in a northerly
direction, and as our scratches warmed again they pained us
considerably; but the feeling that we were not pursued, and the growing
hope that we should really escape, encouraged us to overcome every
difficulty. We watered at Gubat on the Nile, where the English had
encamped in 1885, and then we rode cautiously, well outside the great
village of Metemmeh. The barking and howling of the dogs made the camels
quicken their pace, and soon we were out of sight of the Jaalin capital.

We then began to discuss how we were to cross the Nile. Ahmed had a
friend living in a village just south of Berber, and it occurred to him
that we might cross there. We trotted quietly on towards this village,
when a man suddenly sprang out in front of us and cried, "Enta min?"
("Who are you?") But we soon found out that the man was afraid, and had
taken us for robbers. His sudden appearance had given us a great start,
and we at once thought that our pursuers had caught us up, and that we
were about to be recaptured. Ahmed, however, approached the man, and as
we rode on, he turned, spoke to him, and allayed his fears.

When we approached the village, we dismounted and hid behind some thick
bushes, whilst Ahmed went in search of his friend who was to ferry us
across. In about half an hour he returned, saying that it was
impossible, as the boat was on the other side. Besides, he had heard
that two boats had just passed down on their way to Berber, and that all
disturbances in Omdurman were at an end. However, they had heard nothing
about our flight. We therefore mounted again, and continued marching
north the whole of that night and the following day.

On this, the third day of our journey, we came in sight of Berber, and
towards evening descended to the river almost exactly opposite the town,
filled our waterskins, and then made for the desert again. We did not
dare keep near the river here, as numbers of Baggara were living in the
neighbourhood. At about midnight we alighted, as Ahmed did not know the
road. We fed the camels, and indulged in our usual meal of biscuits,
dates, and water. Ahmed had also succeeded in procuring from his friend
some tobacco and small earthenware pipes; so we smoked with impunity,
and began to feel that our escape was now almost assured.

But we had still before us the