hought ye would be aisy in your mind now that you
had got your camel."

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

ACROSS THE LOOP.

Korti was the pleasantest place Kavanagh had been to yet. It was
healthy, there were plenty of trees to give shade, forage was easily got
for the camels, and fresh provisions for the men, for the villages about
seemed more prosperous than usual, and the inhabitants more friendly.
Here the camel drill was polished up and brought to perfection. They
worked in this way. You must know that though the soldiers rode camels
on the march, they were not intended to fight on their backs, except
perhaps incidentally when they were out scouting.

So their object when in immediate contact with the enemy was to get rid
of their camels for the time being, but so that they might find them
again and remount at the shortest possible notice. The battalion being
in column--that is, suppose a double row of men on camels, forming a
front and rear rank, and some way behind them another double row, and
then a third, and then a fourth; that forms what is meant by a column--
well, then, the battalion, as I say, being in column, the word of
command, signifying what formation the men are to take after they have
dismounted, is given, followed by the words, "Close order!" Upon this
the rear rank of the leading line jambs up to the front rank, which
halts at the word. All the rear rows break into a trot and jamb up to
the front in turn.

When all are close and compact, the camels are told to lie down; the men
dismount, and tie up their animals' legs, so that they cannot rise, with
the head rope. The men who have to run out and mark the places where
the others are to form when ready, get their camels knee-lashed for them
by the two men whose duty it is to remain with the animals of their
company.

By the time the beasts are in a square, helpless mass, the markers are
"covered" (or got into their proper places according to the order
accurately) by an officer, and the men form on them at once. After a
good deal of drill this was done very quickly, as such things are when
each man knows exactly what to do and how to do it, since it is
confusion and uncertainty which cause delay. When the battalion had to
move away and manoeuvre at some little distance from the camels, one
company was always to be left to defend them.

The pleasant time at Korti was soon over, and they started across the
desert for Shendy. If you will look at