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square^ at each corner was a gun camel. This means of defence 

 was very effectual against horsemen^ for horses, it is said, 

 although they may become accustomed to camels^ as a rule, hate 

 the sight of a number of them, and cannot face a square of 

 recumbent camels. The camels are tied in the usual way to 

 prevent them rising Suddenly, but are notoriously stolid under 

 attack. Bethune's Corps consisted of Highlanders as fighting 

 men, independent and under their own ofEcers_, of whom the 

 Commandant also controlled the movement of the Transport 

 part. The latter was under an European officer mounted on an 

 Arab horse and assisted by a Havildar-Major. Each driver was 

 armed with spear and tulwar (it is suggested carbine and spear 

 would be preferable in future). The Suakim Corps had rather 

 elaborate drill, consisting in movements by fours^ increasing 

 and diminishiug front as do cavalry in single line ; each com- 

 pany or squadron formed two troops. The order of march 

 where practicable was half column of troops, the baggage 

 camels being in front of the rear squadron. For attack or 

 defence the column closed up to the front, the camels were 

 made to sit down, tied, and the men formed square around 

 them in double rank, or else, leaving some with the camels and 

 drivers, the remainder acted as ordinary infantry. It took 80 

 seconds to form squai'e. The Nile Corps formed up its camels 

 into square with the men around them to defend. Four hundred 

 camels could be thus arranged to present a perimeter varying 

 from 460 to 760 feet and from 28 to 46 running inches per file 

 according to requirements. The orders were that in the event 

 of small parties not able to form two deep round the square 

 being attacked, the camels should be formed into a closely -packed 

 square with the men formed into two small squares at the 

 opposite ends of a diagonal, as one would place two bastions to a 

 square redoubt. In other cases, and some consider this the best 

 plan, the camels should form a hollow square with the men inside 

 fighting under cover of the bodies of the camels. The Battery 

 inarched in four lines to each division, the gun and carriage in 

 the first line, mounted gunners and drivers (JSTatives) in the 

 second and third, spare and extra camels in the fourth. 



