ed, or incorporated in the Mahdi's army. The town was
plundered and the trade destroyed. For nearly ten years an Arab force
occupied the ruins and a camp outside them. Kassala became a frontier
post of the Dervish Empire. Its population perished or fled to the
Italian territory. This situation might have remained unaltered until
after the battle of Omdurman if the Dervishes had been content with the
possession of Kassala. But in 1893 the Emir in command of the
garrison, being anxious to distinguish himself, disobeyed the Khalifa's
instructions to remain on the defensive and attacked the Europeans at
Agordat. The Arab force of about 8,000 men were confronted by 2,300
Italian troops, protected by strong entrenchments, under Colonel
Arimondi. After a fierce but hopeless attack the Dervishes were
repulsed with a loss of 3,000 men, among whom was their rash leader. The
engagement was, however, as disastrous to Italy as to the Khalifa. The
fatal African policy of Signor Crispi received a decided impetus, and in
the next year, agreeably to their aspirations in Abyssinia, the Italians
under General Baratieri advanced from Agordat and captured Kassala. The
occupation was provisionally recognised by Egypt without prejudice
to her sovereign rights, and 900 Italian regulars and irregulars
established themselves in a well-built fort. The severe defeat at Adowa
in 1896, the disgrace of Baratieri, the destruction of his army, and
the fall of the Crispi Cabinet rudely dispelled the African ambitions of
Italy. Kassala became an encumbrance. Nor was that all. The Dervishes,
encouraged by the victory of the Abyssinians, invested the fort, and the
garrison were compelled to fight hard to hold what their countrymen
were anxious to abandon. In these circumstances the Italian Government
offered, at a convenient opportunity, to retrocede Kassala to Egypt.
The offer was accepted, and an arrangement made. The advance of the
Khedivial forces into the Dongola province relieved, as has been
described, the pressure of the Dervish attacks. The Arabs occupied
various small posts along the Atbara and in the neighbourhood of the
town, and contented themselves with raiding. The Italians remained
entirely on the defensive, waiting patiently for the moment when the
fort could be handed over to the Egyptian troops.

The Sirdar had no difficulty in coming to a satisfactory arrangement
with General Caneva, the Italian commander. The fort was to be occupied
by