upon them; for, altogether without
discipline, they would probably creep under bushes, and endeavour to
find some shelter from the pitiless downpour.

Had the Khalifa known his business, he would have taken advantage of
the tempestuous night, and launched his warriors at the camp. Confident
as the officers of the expedition were, in the ability of their men to
repulse any assault that might be made in the daylight, it was felt
that such an attack would cause terrible loss, and possibly grave
disaster, if delivered at night. The enemy might not be discovered
until within a few yards of the camp. The swish of the rain, and the
almost incessant crash of thunder, would deaden the sound of their
approach; and, long before the troops could leap to their feet and
prepare to receive them calmly, the Dervishes would be upon them. As
the latter were enormously stronger in numbers, the advantage of
superior weapons would be lost in a hand-to-hand fight, and in the
inevitable confusion, as the troops in reserve would be unable to open
fire, while ignorant of the precise position of friends and foes.

The Khalifa, however, was relying upon prophecy. It was at Kerreri that
the infidel army was to be utterly destroyed, and he may have thought
that it would be tempting fate, were he to precipitate an action before
the invaders reached the spot where their doom had been pronounced.

Even more miserable than night was the hour before dawn. Lying still,
drenched to the skin as they were, Nature prevailed, and the men
obtained some sleep; but when they rose to their feet, and threw off
the sodden blankets, they felt the full misery of eight hours'
drenching. They were cold now, as well as wet, and as they endeavoured
to squeeze the water from their clothes, and to restore circulation by
swinging their arms, but few words were spoken; and the rising of the
sun, which was regarded as a terrible infliction during the day, was
eagerly looked for. No sooner did it appear above the horizon than the
spirits of the men rose rapidly, and they laughed, joked, and made
light of the inconveniences of the situation.

An hour later, their clothes were nearly dry. By that time they were
all well on their way, the brigades, as before, marching in
echelon--Wauchope's brigade on the left, Lyttleton's farther to the
right but more to the rear, the three Egyptian brigades farther out on
the plain, the 21st Lancers scouting the ground in front of the Briti