r in this respect,
they were as steady as veterans now, and advancing in line, firing
deliberately and with careful aim, they cleared the ground in front, and
fought back to the brink of the nullah where the enemy had broken their
ranks, and re-captured the guns, the First Brigade moving up at the same
time on their right. Savage with the idea that they had been forced to
retire and leave their guns, though it was principally the sheer weight
of numbers that had done it, and burning with revenge, the men set their
teeth and went down into the nullah, clearing all before them. The
Arabs defended every bush, every rock, every boulder; but there was no
wild firing now, at thirty, twenty, ten paces, and even closer; every
bullet had its billet, and the valley was cleared of the living, though
every point which afforded cover, and had been tenaciously held by Osman
Digna's soldiers, had its groups of corpses behind it.

Officers were intoxicated with delight at the way their men behaved
after their early discouragement.

"That's the way!"

"Let them have it!"

"Give it 'em hot, boys!"

"Good man, O'Grady; there's another for you!"

"That's your sort; never pull trigger till you can blow him to
smithereens."

The advance of the line was not rapid, but it left nothing living behind
it. Then the First Brigade under Redvers Buller went into and across
the nullah, making for the second ridge held by the enemy some half mile
off, still keeping the square formation. It was well that the distance
to be traversed was so short, for it was now getting on for ten o'clock,
and the power of the sun was intense. The ground, too, was covered with
sharp rocks of red granite, and these had become so hot as to burn the
feet. But what do brave men feel in the delirium of battle? When close
to the foe a volley rang out, and then from every parched throat
"Hurrah!" "Hurrah!" "Hurrah!" burst forth, as with levelled bayonets
they rushed upon the broken ranks before them, and the ridge was
carried.

There was a second beyond it, where the Arabs still lingered, and for
that again they went. But the enemy, the fight at last taken out of
them, made but a feeble stand, and it was carried at the first onset.
But what was that firing in their rear? Had a body of Soudanese lain
concealed somewhere? Or had their dead come to life again? Neither.

One of the Gardner guns had been overturned into the limber containing
its ammunition,