midnight
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 . At six o'clock in the morning they again advanced , and after a rest of three hours at mid-day continued their way until midnight , when a light being seen at a distance the column was halted , and the Hussars went out and captured a caravan loaded with dates for the use of the Mahdi troops .