Page:Suakin, 1885.djvu/53

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those known in India as "European privates'." These tents are made of a thick white cotton fabric, and are double, so that, I think, no sun could ever get through them. The roof of the tent is supported by two stout bamboo poles standing about six feet apart, and there is a space of a foot or more between the two thicknesses composing it, both of which are again lined, the outer one with a deep maroon-coloured material, and the inner one with a pale yellow. A wooden bar connects the two poles, and forms a useful place for hanging things upon. The walls of the tent are about four feet high, and are made in four pieces. There are thus four doorways to the tent, each having an awning over it, which is fastened to the roof and supported by two bamboo sticks. This awning can be let down and the walls closed in at night if desired. As we had expected to find ourselves under double bell tents of the home pattern, we were agreeably surprised. We were four officers in a tent, so had plenty of room, the inside measuring about eighteen feet by twenty-three. The men were about twenty in a tent.

We arranged our tent in this way—a camp bed in each corner, with our kit-bags and spare bandage along the walls. We drew an ordinary