Many incidents--some amusing and some serious enough--occurred in these daily battles with the river; but Wauchope was ever in the thick of it if a difficulty occurred; and while as commander he was prompt in giving his orders, he was never above giving his men a helping hand when needed. 'It was during our toilsome ascent of the third and fourth cataracts,' says another comrade of the expedition, 'a staff officer was detailed in charge of different districts up the banks, whose duty {97} it was to guide and instruct the boats in their passage up the rapids, or, as the men put it, "to worry and irritate the troops." On one occasion Colonel Wauchope's boat was in trouble, and the staff officer was shouting any amount of advice gratis from the bank. Thinking apparently that enough notice was not being taken of his instructions, he called out, "You No. 2 boat there, do you know who I am? I am Colonel Primrose of the Guards." This immediately drew the following answer from a wild-looking, red-headed, and half-naked worker in the boat, "And do you know who I am, sir? I am Colonel Wauchope of the Black Watch, so honours are easy!"' Though otherwise kind to a fault, in the matter of discipline he was firm as a rock in adhering strictly to orders. Indeed at this juncture he was invaluable to the regiment, for he acted at the same time both as president of the canteen and mess; and as one of his brother officers informs us, 'it was only through his continual forethought that we were able to obtain supplies for our daily wants.' 'A favourite dinner on the Nile,' says one of his men, 'which was looked upon as a great luxury, was one pound of bacon per man, in place of the usual tinned meat, as by dint of self-denial a bit of it might be saved for breakfast next morning. This was served out by the captain, and great was the consternation one day in the drum-major's boat when the cook fell overboard with the boat's rations in his hand. The man was secured, but the bacon went to the crocodiles. The matter being reported to Colonel Wauchope, it was hoped the rations might be replaced. But not having seen the accident, he was obdurate. The ration had been issued and could not be replaced, so the unfortunate boat's crew worked hard all that day on biscuit and tea only. Evening came, and tea was being made when word was passed {98} along the bank that the drum-major was wanted by Colonel Wauchope. Hope sprang up that he had relented at the eleventh hour; but no such luck. To his honour be it said, however, he divided his own pound of bacon with the drum-major that night, and it was his all, for officers and men fared alike at that time.' Still they knew their commander, and no grumble was heard. Though he might be strict, they all felt he had their interest at heart.