Page:Suakin, 1885.djvu/34

 miles and miles of desert, and a lofty and rugged range of mountains in the distance suddenly came into view. As we approached nearer, we could see, about four miles away on our right, two camps; these turned out to be the 49th (Berkshire) and 70th (East Surrey). On the left of the town of Suakin was another and much larger camp, where a part of the Indian contingent were lying. The whole country looked a burnt, parched-up wilderness, without a particle of vegetation except the dried-up bush of the desert. It certainly looked the hottest place I had ever seen, with a sky like one great sheet of burnished brass over head, and with the sun scorching down on an arid waste of sand.

It was midday before we entered the long narrow channel leading into the harbour. The navigation of this channel is very hazardous, as it is nowhere more than 300 yards broad, and in some places much less than this. On both sides run the low coral reefs, and woe betide the ship that happens to run on them. This channel which is fully three quarters of a mile in length, opens into a lagoon or bay, in which are two islands. One of these is known by us as Quarantine Island, and has been used all through the war as a depôt, where stores were landed,