boats passed them without
receiving any material damage, and were so able to maintain the
bombardment without receiving any fire in return. At the same time,
they landed the forty-pounder guns on an island but a short distance
from the town, and thence opened fire with lyddite shells upon it. The
howitzers were trained upon the Mahdi's tomb, and soon great holes were
knocked in the dome.

It could be seen, from the top of the hill, that this caused great
excitement in the Dervish lines, and a number of their horsemen rode
out against the Lancers, and drove in their advance scouts; but, on the
main body of the regiment moving forward, they fell back to their line;
and almost immediately a heavy body of infantry moved out, their
intention evidently being to surround and cut off the regiment, while
at the same time a general advance took place. The Colonel of the
Lancers dismounted a portion of his men, and these checked the advance
of the enemy, until the rest fell back.

The news of the advance was signalled to General Kitchener, and the
whole force at once took their position, in fighting order. Believing
that a general attack on the camp would now be made, the cavalry fell
back on either flank, so as to clear the way for the fire of the
artillery and infantry.

The Dervishes had a good view of our camp from the top of Surgham, but
the Khalifa apparently considered that it was too late in the day for a
general attack, and drew off his men to their former position, and the
rest of the afternoon and evening passed quietly. As the men ate their
meal, of tinned meat and biscuit, they were in higher spirits than they
had been since the advance began. Hitherto, they had been in constant
apprehension lest the Dervishes should shun a battle, and would retire
across the desert to El Obeid, or elsewhere; and that they would have
to perform interminable desert marches, only to find, on arriving at
the goal, that the enemy had again moved off. The events of the day,
however, seemed to show that this fear was groundless, and that the
Khalifa had determined to fight a decisive battle for the defence of
his capital.

The British soldier is ready to support any fatigue, and any hardship,
with a prospect of a fight at the end; and, during the advance, he is
always haunted by the fear that the enemy will retire, or give in on
his approach. This fear was stronger than usual on this expedition, for
there was no question as to the grea