three in the afternoon
Near the hills the ground was covered with low mimosa bushes and long yellow grass , and in some places the mimosa trees rose to a length of ten or twelve feet . At five o'clock day broke , and at half-past eight the column halted at a spot where there were a good many trees . Here they dismounted , breakfasted , and slept for some hours . At three in the afternoon they started again , and at half-past eight arrived at the first wells , those of Hambok ; but as they were found to contain very little water , the march was continued to the El Howeiyat Wells , thirteen miles further . Before they got there the watches told that midnight had arrived , and the commencement of the new year was hailed with a burst of cheering , and singing broke out all along the line , and was continued for an hour , until they reached the wells . There was but little water here , but the men carried theirs in skins . The horses of the 19th Hussars received a bucketful apiece , which exhausted the supply of the wells .