ld take up a line
of cossack posts in front of his outpost line. To this they
consented, but before leaving declared their earnest conviction that
an assault would be delivered. Shortly after midnight Smith was
awakened by a fiendish din. Grasping his sword with one hand and his
pistol with the other, he rushed out to meet the crisis. From every
direction his allies came galloping in as fast as their horses could
lay legs to the ground, while the detachment sprang to arms in a
second, fully expecting to be attacked by every Arab in the
Hinterland. Reining up his horse as before, the leader of the cavalry
once more saluted Smith, and made the following report: 'Sah, I have
honour to salute you, and inform your Honour that Dthanbari tribe have
not yet arrived.'

The following description of the action at Naklain appeared in the
home press:--

'AN ARAB DRIVE.'

'HOT FIGHTING IN THE ADEN HINTERLAND.

'The expedition, under Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel English, was sent out
to destroy the chief village and crops of the tribe Naklain, as
punishment for the shooting of Government camels and the looting of
his Majesty's mails. The tribe is very warlike, and their country had
never hitherto been penetrated.

'After leaving As Suk camp, the British column began to wind among the
mountains, which rise very abruptly from the plain, and, as they met
with no opposition for a considerable time, they began to think there
would be no resistance. Suddenly, without warning of any sort, a
ragged volley was opened on the advance-guard, apparently from some
very broken ground, fifty to a hundred yards in front.

'This seemed to be a prearranged signal, for from the hills on both
flanks the firing was taken up, the enemy constantly changing their
positions after firing. The guns were brought into action almost at
once, and the infantry, extending at the double, soon covered a wide
front and swept along the hills parallel to the advance.

'MOVING FORWARD.

'After the surrounding hills had been shelled, the whole column moved
forward, the infantry pushing the enemy back step by step until the
village of Naklain was reached. While parties of men were told off to
keep down the enemy's fire from points of vantage, others proceeded to
blow up the houses with gun-cotton, and the more inaccessible houses
were shelled.

'The crops were then destroyed by the men with their bayonets and
swords. There was a fierce fire while this was procee