At varying times during the 24 hours vessels passed north and south along the waterway. Freighters, transports bringing reinforcements from Australia (including the 8th/28th), or troops to augment the army in Mesopotamia, and well known mail steamers such as the "Osterley," all came into view and in a few minutes travelled beyond. Often news was exchanged with those on shore and sometimes occurred the mutual recognition of friends. At night time sleepers, awakened by the flash of a search light in their faces, sat up and observed the approach of the larger craft, with the assistance of powerful arc lights affixed to their bows, cautiously navigating the channels. From the foregoing description of the life and environment of those who dwelt at Ferry Post, it may be gathered that, although their daily lot was a hard one, it was sufficiently full of incident to banish monotony. Without such incident existence would have been intolerable. Nature herself seemed to be almost somnolent in these parts, for, besides a few chameleon-like lizards, a stray jackal or hawk, and a plentiful supply of small black beetles which stood on their heads when interfered with, all other forms of life were absent. Even vegetation was reduced to a few rushes and a very occasional stunted bush. At Tel-el-Kebir an increase in the popularity of gambling had been noted. Greater leisure and consequent opportunity probably accounted for this. At night time, when training was not in progress, numerous knots of men could be observed between the rear of the camp and the railway line gathered around two or three candles stuck in the ground. There "House" and some of the unlawful games were played with relatively high stakes. The military and regimental police broke up some of these "schools," but this action had, apparently, no deterrent effect. After the move to Ferry Post the craze became even greater. A favourite haunt of the gamblers was on the ramparts of those parts of the defences which were not occupied by posts. There after dark some hundreds of men would assemble--the illuminations spreading for half a mile down towards Lake Timsah. The authorities took action. Raids were made, plants confiscated, and some of the offenders punished. At other times the judiciously circulated rumour of an intended raid also had a desirable effect and the ramparts that night would be deserted. On the whole the spread of the evil was arrested but, as in civil communities, it was never possible to completely eradicate it.