or the officials of the Western Oasis Corporation, which was reserved
for officers and for sergeants twice a week. However, with the help of
the Engineers, we built a beautiful swimming-bath, 26 yards long,
which was formally opened by Lieut.-Colonel A. M'Neil, O.C. troops, at
a swimming gymkhana on 6th August.

[Illustration: SENTRY ON WATER DUMP "A."
_To face page 36_]

[Illustration: CAMEL LINES AT KHARGEH.
_To face page 36_]

Although we had abundant water at Sherika and Kharga, it had to be
bored for. There was a river about 400 to 600 feet below ground, and
the water came up quite warm--about 85 deg. F. The problem was how to
provide water for the 100-mile advance across the desert to Dakhla.
For this purpose the R.E. started boring at Water Dump A, about
twenty-five miles from Sherika, and were so far successful that, at
the finish of the Dakhla expedition, they were obtaining sufficient
water to work the bore. By that time also the light railway had
advanced to within a few miles of Water Dump A.

The campaign was brought to an abrupt termination through the overzeal
of O.C. Light Car Patrol, who patrolled right up to Senussi outpost at
the entrance to the Dakhla Oasis. At the sight of Mr Lindsay and his
car the Senussi general fled, and when the I.C.C., after a very fine
march, got into Dakhla, all they got were 197 miserable, underfed,
diseased prisoners. Four officers and 100 other ranks from C Squadron
(Captain D.D. Ogilvie), and 2 officers and 30 other ranks from the
M.G.C. (Mr D. Marshall) set off on 25th October to relieve the I.C.C.
It was a trying march. Cars dumped fanatis with water for the midday
meal, twelve miles on and more for the evening meal, and breakfast
seven miles beyond that. The second day out was a scorcher, blazing
hot and no wind, over rough stony going for the most part, and Hell's
Gate wasn't reached till 7 P.M., after a very exhausting march. The
total march was seventy-six miles to Tenida, and of the 136 only 7
failed to finish which, considering the circumstances, was very
creditable. No sooner were we there than orders were received to
return again. This time, however, we went in cars as far as Water Dump
A, and there we commandeered a convoy of camels returning with empty
fanatis, and we finished our trek mounted. Great credit is due to the
Light Car Patrol and to the Ford cars which really were wonderful.
Neither sand up to the axle, nor dropping down over rocks stopped
t